Kate Middleton's Family Website Examined for Compliance by Olympics

 Screenshot of PartyPieces.co.uk

In a stark reminder of just how seriously brand protection is being taken by London Olympics officials, even the party products website managed by the family of Kate Middleton is being scrutinized to ensure compliance with extremely strict branding guidelines, according to Time magazine.

The Middleton family's website, PartyPieces.co.uk, is advertising party goods under the heading “Let the Games Begin” and even had a ring toss game in the Olympic colors.

An official on behalf of the London Organizing Committee of the Olympic Games (LOCOG) said of the Middleton's website: “There are no infringements and the products are fine.  We will ask them to make minor changes to some copy.’’

Olympic enforcement officers have begun patrolling venues throughout the UK to ensure traders are not illegally associating themselves with the games.

A LOCOG spokeswoman reportedly said: “We will act if there is a commercial tie-in in any way.  We will ring and explain the obligations and most times this dialogue is friendly, people are usually doing it to be part of the fun, but companies are not allowed to promote an association with the Games if they are not a sponsor.”

UK Student Faces Extradition and 10 Years in US Prison for Aiding Piracy

By Hellerick (Own work) [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons

The New York Times is reporting that the US Department of Justice is seeking to have Richard O’Dwyer, a 24-year-old college student from Great Britain, extradited on criminal charges of copyright infringement. The possible punishment: 10 years in a federal penitentiary.

In 2008, O’Dwyer first set up a website, TVShack.net, which allowed users to search for and link to other sites, including ones that the federal authorities argue showed pirated movies and television shows.  

The US government shut down TVShack.net in summer 2010.  But Mr. O’Dwyer was apparently unbowed.  TVShack.net had been growing in popularity, and it made about $230,000 from advertising over the course of two years, federal prosecutors claim.

“America? They have nothing to do with me,” Mr. O’Dwyer had declared, according to his mother.  He then subsequently reopened his site as TVShack.cc, which he reckoned was beyond the reach of the United States.  He was wrong.

A few months later came a knock on the door from the British police. A judge ruled that Mr. O’Dwyer would not be prosecuted in Britain.  Instead, the US Department of Justice would seek to extradite him.

Prosecutors also claim that O'Dwyer was well aware that the material was copyrighted.  They cite an announcement on TVShack that urged users to be patient with download times because they were “saving quite a lot of money (especially when putting several visits to the theater or seasons together).”

The British home secretary has approved the extradition order and reaffirmed recently that she would let the order stand. O’Dwyer has appealed and a hearing in British courts is expected this fall.