Emailed Link to Instructor’s Manual Isn’t Grounds for Copyright Infringement Liability

An individual who allegedly emailed customers a link to instructors’ manuals for copyrighted textbooks is not directly liable for copyright infringement, the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York held Aug. 1 (Pearson Educ., Inc. v. Ishayev, S.D.N.Y., 1:11-cv-05052-PAE, 8/1/13).

Judge Paul A. Engelmayer denied Pearson Education Inc.'s motion for summary judgment on claims involving the emailed links. Pearson alleged that the individual and his girlfriend infringed Pearson copyrights in the manuals, unregistered derivative works of its copyrighted textbooks.

Emailing a hyperlink, without more, is insufficient to establish an act of infringement, the court ...