The 2015 Super Bowl (or Super Bowl XXVZPDQ or something) has generated a legal controversy. No, Seahawks coach Pete Carroll is not being sued for his terrible play calling. Rather, we’ve learned that Katy Perry’s attorneys have sent out a copyright cease and desist letter related to the infamous Left Shark. Does copyright law protect the image of an awkwardly dancing person in a shark costume?
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Archives: Copyrights
Copyright Question: Can I Play Music on my Podcast?
January 27, 2015
After percolating for a decade or so, podcasts have grown wildly in popularity as a communication medium. This is a result of a confluence of factors, not the least of which is the emergence of a certain story about a murder in Baltimore. We are now living in a post-Serial world. And just like with any other form of media, there’s some confusion and lack of information about the rules of the road. All of which brings me to the copyright question at hand: can I play pre-recorded music on my podcast?
Copyright Transformative Use Issue: Where Are We Now?
November 12, 2014
I’ve written about Fair Use before (to see some of my previous posts on the topic, check out my blog’s handy new search function.) The hottest topic in fair use these days is, without question, the copyright transformative use issue. What does it mean to say the use of someone else’s copyrighted work is “transformative,” and how are the courts ruling on this topic?
Can Graffiti be Protected by Copyright and Trademark Law?
October 28, 2014
As part of a trend, a recent lawsuit alleged that fashion designer Roberto Cavalli infringed the legal rights of artists Revok, Reyes and Steel when he used images from one of their graffiti murals on clothing and related goods under his Just Cavalli brand. Who owns the rights to graffiti images?
