Alt Legal IP News – Issue #101
Hannah Samendinger | August 14, 2018
You’re a Character
– Disney may have to go to trial if they want to continue their fight to prevent knockoff characters from appearing at birthday parties.
– Disney also may oppose a Black Panther-themed cryptocurrency.
– A producer hoped the public domain would allow him to bring a favorite character to the big screen, but he is now in a fight that may impact the future of copyright protection.
Putting up a Fight
– Nike’s copyright protection team worked with the NYPD and ICE to bust a bootleg Air Jordan ring. At least five people were arrested for trafficking the counterfeit shoes.
– Here’s a story of how one startup brand fought a global fight against infringers.
– Is Nintendo using copyright law to erase video game history?
– Graffiti artists are fighting back against brands that steal their works.
Pay to Play
– Should common law copyright for pre-1972 sound recordings be taken more seriously?
– Cardi B filed a trademark application for her daughter’s name, an increasingly commoncelebrity trend.
– Royalties are complex, and this article breaks down how musicians ultimately make money (or don’t).
Odds and Ends
– MoMaCha is expanding, despite ongoing infringement claims.
– Cars had many terrible names before being called automobiles.
– Most famous brands have recognizable logos, but they also often have more subtle brand archetypes.
– What are the economics of failed trademark applications in the US?
– Video game mods are changing the intellectual property game and launching some games out of obscurity.