Copyright Doesn’t Cover All of Internet, Court Rules

TAMPA, Fla. – In a court ruling that has broad implications across the Internet, a federal judge has decided that a company's Internet-searching software program did not infringe on copyrights held by another website.

The case has been closely watched by U.S. webmasters – both adult and mainstream – because more companies are compiling their own private search engines.

Nautical Solutions Marketing Inc. of St. Petersburg, Fla., runs a website called YachtBroker.com which uses a software program to harvest yacht sale information from other websites, including one owned by Boats.com of Lake Forest, Ill., and then compiles it for its subscribers.

U.S. District Court Judge Steven D. Merryday ruled that Nautical's practice of collecting yacht listings, photos and product descriptions from various websites represented lawful use of facts that weren't protected by copyright law.

Merryday also said the rights to the photos and descriptions listed on Boats.com's YachtWorld.com were held by individual yacht brokers, not Boats.com itself.

Furthermore, Merryday said, Nautical did not infringe on any Boats.com copyrights related to the design of YachtWorld.com or the manner in which the website compiled and presented information.

Search engines such as Google and Yahoo use robotic software to capture information in ways similar to the activities of YachtWorld.com, which collected data but not the look or feel of websites.

The decision comes after a federal jury in Tampa found in favor of Nautical in a defamation lawsuit against Boats.com, awarding Nautical $300,000 in damages last December, including $50,000 in punitive damages.

The allegations of trespass and illegal activity caused Nautical Solutions' business to plummet, said Steve Schwarz, the company's president of sales.

Separately on Friday, a second hearing over Acacia Technology Group's legal battle asserting claims that it owns patents relating to streaming media continues in Santa Ana., Calif.

The Markman hearing, in which a judge hears evidence and definitions before determining asserted patent claims as law matters, is being heard by U.S. District Court Judge James Ware.

Copyright © 2025 Adnet Media. All Rights Reserved. XBIZ is a trademark of Adnet Media.
Reproduction in whole or in part in any form or medium without express written permission is prohibited.

More News

TeamSkeet, MYLF to Launch New Website FamilyStrokes.com

Sister studios TeamSkeet and MYLF are launching a new website, FamilyStrokes.com.

AV Bulletin: Age Verification Hits the Mainstream, Ofcom Sets a Date

Industry stakeholders and free speech advocates have anxiously been awaiting the Supreme Court’s decision in Free Speech Coalition v. Paxton, which could significantly impact state age verification laws around the country. In the meantime, state legislatures continue to weigh and pass AV bills, AV tech providers continue to tout their services, and legal challenges continue to play out in the courts — with some cases on hold pending the SCOTUS ruling in Paxton.

Segpay Names Kristi Greer VP of Sales

Segpay has promoted long-time employee Kristi Greer to the position of vice president of sales.

BranditScan Names Subgirl Newest Brand Ambassador

BranditScan has named content creator Subgirl its newest brand ambassador.

Arcom Reports Age Verification Enforcement Actions Against 5 Adult Sites

French media regulator Arcom released a statement Tuesday detailing recent actions to enforce age verification rules as set forth under France’s Security and Regulation of the Digital Space (SREN) law.

Pineapple Support, Clips4Sale to Host Performers' Partners Support Group

Pineapple Support and Clips4Sale are hosting a free online support group for partners and family members of adult industry professionals.

FSC Mourns the Loss of Board Director Emeritus Mark Kernes

Free Speech Coalition has released a statement regarding the passing of Board Director Emeritus Mark Kernes.

Alexa Creed Launches New Paysite

Creator Alexa Creed has launched a new membership site through MyMember.site.

Choice Talent Management Launches Fan Platform 'ChoiceFilmz'

Choice Talent Management CEO Chris Crisco has launched a new fan platform called ChoiceFilmz.

Dredd to Launch Official Site

Dredd has announced his new website OfficialDreddXXX.com, launching April 20.

Show More