Alt Legal IP News – Issue #146
Justin Wickersham | July 09, 2019
Listen to the Music
– Music streaming company Spotify settled two copyright infringement lawsuits and will shell out more than $40 million to songwriters.
– Universal Music Group, which owns the famous “Motown” trademark, is looking to prevent boy band O-Town from continuing to use their name.
– Is there a legal loophole that leaves famous guitar riffs without copyright protection?
Big Tech
– Huawei has issued a warning to not politicize global intellectual property issues.
– IBM recently received a patent for a smartwatch that can turn into a smartphone or tablet.
– Crypto wallets are becoming all the rage, as LG looks to move into the crypto space after filing a trademark application for “ThinQ Wallet.”
Around the World
– Brazil has joined WIPO’s Madrid Protocol, increasing the number of member countries to 121.
– A trademark bill passed in Malaysia will allow applicants to register scent, sound, and color marks.
– The EUIPO released a short documentary film about IP and many think it’s bad propaganda.
Odds and Ends
– One of Japan’s most wanted fugitives for copyright infringement was caught and arrested.
– Can you guess how many trademark applications and registrations the Kardashians have?
– Here’s how Xerox used trademarks and patents to prevent “anyone from copying its copiers.”