Welcome to the May Copyright Reads! As spring truly blossoms and the days grow longer, May brings with it a fresh crop of intriguing and often challenging developments in the world of copyright and intellectual property.

This month, even the legendary Elton John has weighed in, angrily condemning the UK government’s proposed AI copyright plans, calling them “criminal” and accusing them of “theft.”

From the ironic twists of anti-piracy campaigns to the seismic shifts AI is bringing to intellectual property, and from the quiet battles for academic freedom to the surprising environmental impact of our digital age, these links unravel a tapestry of current events and critical discussions.

Dive in to explore the latest in copyright, censorship, artificial intelligence, and the ever-evolving landscape of information and innovation.

“You wouldn’t steal a car” anti-piracy campaign may have used pirated fonts

Sydney woman who sold a cartoon cat T-shirt told to pay US$100,000 in Grumpy Cat copyright case

Spain hits first weekday of 100% renewable power on national grid

Council of Europe adopts new guidelines on AI and cultural policy

New report “Unfair licensing practices: the library experience” is out

The Importance of Copyright Exceptions for Teachers and Learners

Trump fires Librarian of Congress Carla Hayden amid more worker purges

Man burns 100 Beachwood Public Library books on Jewish, African American, LGBTQ+ education: report

Defending Academic Freedom in an Age of Censorship: Why Open Access Matters More Than Ever

How Google Scholar transformed research

The resilience of open science in times of crisis

If you teach with digital content, you might be breaking copyright laws and not even know it

In our time – Copyright

Guidance on AI Image Generation: learnings from our pilot

EUIPO releases study on generative artificial intelligence and copyright

Copyright Law and AI: Time to Revisit Copyright Registration?

Elon Musk’s apparent power play at the Copyright Office completely backfired

Ministers reconsider changes to UK copyright law ahead of vote

What Monolinguals Should Understand About Bilingualism in the Workplace

What is visual arts copyright?

Copy + Paste + Steal: Artists Battle For Copyright vs Generative AI | Undercover Asia | Full Episode

Guest Post — Classification as Colonization: The Hidden Politics of Library Catalogs

ChatGPT Turned Into a Studio Ghibli Machine. How Is That Legal?

Ariana Grande and Travis Scott Fortnite concerts at the heart of patent lawsuit headed to trial

How AI Demand Is Draining Local Water Supplies

Government defeated for third time in Lords over copyright protection against AI | The Independent

‘Criminal’: Elton John condemns UK’s AI copyright plans | Reuters

The hidden copyright dangers in your VLE and how to fix them

Update on AI and Copyright in the UK

Who Owns the Output? Generative AI, Copyright Chaos, and the Legal Storm Ahead

Who Owns the Songs When the Band Breaks Up? A Copyright Guide for Musicians

‘Thank you for the copyright’: ABBA legend warns against diluted rights in EU AI code

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As you can see, the world of copyright is anything but static. We hope these reads offer you valuable insights and spark further thought on the complex interplay between creativity, technology, and law.