Knowledge Networks to Pay $300,000 for Infringement
Market research firm Knowledge Networks Inc. has agreed to pay $300,000 to settle claims that it regularly distributed published articles to employees without permission from the copyright holders. The settlement was brokered by the Software & Information Industry Association (SIIA) as part of its new Corporate Content Anti-Piracy Program.
SIIA announced that it acted on behalf of a number of its members, including but not limited to The Associated Press, United Press International and Reed Elsevier. In addition to the cash settlement, Knowledge Networks agreed to implement a copyright education program for its employees.
The case provides a rare glimpse into what is usually a closed-door process for infringement settlements. The last widely publicized case of this kind was in 2005, when brokerage firm Legg Mason settled a copyright infringement suit brought by newsletter publisher Lowry’s Reports. That settlement came after Legg Mason dropped its appeal of a $19.7 million jury verdict against the firm.
Although reports of infringement settlements are few and far between, looks can be deceiving. The winning attorney in the Lowry’s case, Tom Kirby, has noted that out-of-court settlements occur frequently, but are often kept confidential.
