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Luanti removed from Google Play due to baseless AI copyright notice

blog.luanti.org

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Re: Luanti removed from Google Play due to baseless AI copyright notice

#71

Post by ncr100 »

vintermann wrote: post #20

> We received a similar notice from the same company in 2023 and successfully appealed against it. This company also filed a similar notice this year against an indie game with similar voxel art style by the name of Allumeria. They'll backtrack and apologize - again. At some point, the pathway for Microsoft to regain some of the goodwill associated with Minecraft is to fire the senior lawyer most responsible for send…

Hey, it looks like this is a ripe opportunity for countersuit, because it's bad faith.

I am not a lawyer, but this seems like harassment on a matter that has been previously settled.

Re: Luanti removed from Google Play due to baseless AI copyright notice

#72

Post by ncr100 »

tyzoid wrote: post #3
conartist6 wrote: post #2

Sue them for tortious interference

I suspect the TOS say google can remove or deny apps for any reason. If in the EU, there might be a DMA claim though.

I don't know, if Google offers a service and a contract via license and you pay the service which is the developer fee, then Google violates their own contract, isn't that fraud committed upon the client who in this case is the app developer?

Re: Luanti removed from Google Play due to baseless AI copyright notice

#74

Post by Intermernet »

WarmWash wrote: post #56
mysterydip wrote: post #8

Could the sequence of events be: 1) open source project publishes source 2) AI scrapes source 3) AI generates code for proprietary game similar to that of the source 4) AI tool scans jar files and finds similar code, triggers copyright violation

If you look at the screenshots of the game in question, it's pretty obvious what is going on https://www.luanti.org/en/#gallery Even though those are mods, it's a bad look to be holding those up as reference game images.

Minecraft looks very similar to original Wolfenstien or Ultima Online. Probably a bunch of earlier games that used blocks of simple textures. It's not an original art style, and it's not gonna stand up in any fair court. Notch never claimed that he invented the graphical style of Minecraft. He deliberately used low complexity graphics for ease-of-use and the ability to create large, performant maps.

Re: Luanti removed from Google Play due to baseless AI copyright notice

#75

Post by shiandow »

danaris wrote: post #43
duskdozer wrote: post #23

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Doubt it. Microsoft probably just sees "voxel game" and files the claim, because they don't lose anything if it fails. From the article: >Luanti’s Android app is currently not available on the due to a baseless DMCA notice filed on behalf of Microsoft by Tracer.AI, alleging that Luanti infringes Minecraft’s copyright. >Luanti is a voxel game-creation platform where anyone can make, share, discover, and play blocky ga…

Yeah; notice that "on behalf of": Microsoft isn't even the one filing this, they've outsourced their enforcement and may not even have known about this before it blew up.

I'd imagine Microsoft gave them pretty clear instructions to not let them know officially when they're bullying other companies on Microsoft's behalf.

Re: Luanti removed from Google Play due to baseless AI copyright notice

#77

Post by SmasherEpilepti »

VCFundedGenYer wrote: post #36

Outsider here. The screenshots are literally Minecraft screenshots. It's a clone, and not a subtle one either. To call this "Baseless" is hilarious.

> The screenshots are literally Minecraft screenshots.

They are literally not Minecraft screenshots. Your statement is a lie.

Re: Luanti removed from Google Play due to baseless AI copyright notice

#78

Post by nvme0n1p1 »

WarmWash wrote: post #56
mysterydip wrote: post #8

Could the sequence of events be: 1) open source project publishes source 2) AI scrapes source 3) AI generates code for proprietary game similar to that of the source 4) AI tool scans jar files and finds similar code, triggers copyright violation

If you look at the screenshots of the game in question, it's pretty obvious what is going on https://www.luanti.org/en/#gallery Even though those are mods, it's a bad look to be holding those up as reference game images.

Um, why? Because they both have blocks? Is Microsoft the only company allowed to use cubes now?

Even if they were similar, artistic style is not protected under copyright.

Re: Luanti removed from Google Play due to baseless AI copyright notice

#79

Post by danaris »

stronglikedan wrote: post #52
danaris wrote: post #40

Earlier quoted context omitted.

That's...straight-up false. Unless you have some source for this, you're just lying here. Yes, it's inspired by Minecraft. The screenshots are of voxel-based survival crafter games you can build with their platform. The textures are not Minecraft textures. They are similar in style, sure, but that's not remotely the same thing. You can't copyright a general visual style, nor can you copyright a game genre. To call th…

> Yes, it's inspired by Minecraft. More likely that Minecraft was inspired by Luanti since Luanti was released first. (at least, formally released)

Do you understand what the difference between "creation" and "release" is? And which one actually involves inspiration...?

Re: Luanti removed from Google Play due to baseless AI copyright notice

#80

Post by SwellJoe »

I know this isn't the point but this post is a master class in how to inform readers when you expect people from outside your community to read it.

It explains what every element is, concisely but clearly. I now know exactly what Luanti is, who all the actors are in this conflict, and what the conflict is about. It clearly conveys the who, what, when, where and why of the situation.

Also, DMCA is a damned mess, with the worst people in the world profiting from it and bullying small creators. There really should be better mechanisms to defend oneself from spurious claims.

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