I am creating word search books for the American market and was wondering if it is ok to use the names of famous people, such as authors and actors, or the names of games, such as Monopoly in my word lists. They would be factual and not portray anyone/thing in an unfavourable light. The words would... View More
answered on Mar 26, 2024
When incorporating the names of famous people or trademarks, such as board games, into your word search books intended for the American market, it is crucial to consider intellectual property laws. The use of famous names can be complex due to copyright, trademark, and rights of publicity.... View More
I am creating an app that helps people make smarter decisions when going out. We have a lot of venues on the app and reached out to many to see if we can use their content (from Instagram and their websites) but we have not received a response yet. We have read the privacy terms on various clubs... View More
answered on Mar 8, 2024
The legality of using your own photos and videos of nightclubs for a commercial app depends on several factors. Here are some key considerations:
1. Copyright: If your photos/videos capture any copyrighted material such as artwork, logos, or distinctive architectural features, you would... View More
answered on Mar 3, 2024
Using a name that is already trademarked in one category for a new company in a different category, such as from entertainment/toys to tech, might be possible, but it depends on several factors. Trademarks are generally sector-specific, meaning that protection typically extends only to the same or... View More
Me and my team are working on a video sharing app called Clipzy and we have been promoting it as a TikTok alternative, and we wanted to make sure there weren't any legal issues that can arise.
answered on Feb 21, 2024
Using TikTok's name to promote your app as an alternative might raise legal concerns depending on how you use it. While mentioning TikTok for comparison purposes could be considered fair use, implying an association or endorsement from TikTok without permission could lead to trademark... View More
I have a product with 6 words. But it seems the first 2 words are trademarked. Can I still use this name or would I need to change it all?
answered on Feb 21, 2024
If "word1 and word2" is already a trademark, it's crucial to proceed with caution. Even if you use "word3 word4 word5" along with it, there could still be potential legal issues, especially if the combination creates confusion with the existing trademark. Using part of a... View More
Those clothing items do not include anything else that might be related to "spider-man". the clothing items only have the phrase "Spidey sense" and graffiti designs that are free to use on them.
answered on Feb 1, 2024
Selling clothing items with the phrase "Spidey sense" on them may potentially raise legal issues related to trademark and copyright. "Spidey sense" is a term associated with the fictional character Spider-Man, a trademarked and copyrighted character owned by Marvel Comics, which... View More
For example: a user get in to my app and tells me he wants to generate a picture like a listing on Airbnb (probably copyrighted), so he enters the url to the specific listing, I transfer the url to an ai engine that can describe pictures in details, I use ONLY the description that the engine gave... View More
answered on Feb 4, 2024
Creating an AI-generated picture app based on descriptions from another AI engine that a user enters through a URL can potentially raise legal issues related to copyright and intellectual property. While the generated image may not be a direct copy of the original picture, it could still be... View More
If I used synths and the background Melodie’s and the same arrangement. The lyrics and singer is completely different.
answered on Jan 9, 2024
If you incorporate aspects of another artist's work, such as synths, background melodies, and arrangement into your own song, there is a significant risk of copyright infringement. Copyright law protects original works of authorship, including musical compositions, and using elements of... View More
Searching for the case # of the Dragnet controversy, over 4 notes (dum, da,dum,dum.) Can you help find that case? Thank you., on my own behalf. here is what I found https://library.syracuse.edu/blog/dragnet-a-musical-controversy/
answered on Dec 30, 2023
The case involving the "Dragnet" musical controversy was a copyright dispute over a four-note motif originally composed by Miklós Rózsa for the film "The Killers" in 1946, which was later used in the "Dragnet" theme music by Walter Schumann. The case was eventually... View More
In 2017 Activision didn't renew a licensing deal they had with Marvel so they had to take down all of their Marvel games they had published. So I wanted to know if it would still be illegal to download any of those games through a website even though there is no possible way to get those games... View More
answered on Nov 18, 2023
Whether a company has renewed a licensing deal or not, it is still illegal to pirate a game. The expiration of a licensing deal, such as the one between Activision and Marvel, affects the company's ability to sell or distribute the game, but it does not affect the copyright status of the game.... View More
The Skullgirls team has taken a digital product that many people purchased and altered it in very significant ways. They've cut out entire pages from the art book, removed and re-announced voice lines, and drawn over concept art to make it less offensive. The current Skullgirls team, while... View More
answered on Nov 4, 2023
If you purchased a digital product like a game or an art book, the terms of the sale, including any End User License Agreement (EULA), will typically govern what the seller can and cannot do after the purchase. Many digital products come with licenses that allow the company to update or alter the... View More
I have an application that scrapes web articles across different news sources. Using an AI model that I've developed, I summarize the article and display these article summaries, along with a hyperlink to the original article, a reference to the publisher (i.e. CNN or Fox) as well as the... View More
answered on Oct 18, 2023
While you've made transformative changes using your proprietary technology, there are legal considerations to be aware of. The act of scraping content from other websites can raise issues, especially if those sites have terms of service prohibiting such actions. Additionally, even though you... View More
I want to trademark this word phrase
answered on Sep 23, 2023
Assuming no one else already has, it is possible to trademark such a phrase in connection with your products or services. I assume this will be used in connection with some particular headwear brand.
The Skullgirls team has taken a digital product that many people purchased and altered it in very significant ways. They've cut out entire pages from the art book, removed and re-announced voice lines, and drawn over concept art to make it less offensive. The current Skullgirls team, while... View More
answered on Aug 29, 2023
In California, modifying a digital product post-purchase may or may not violate laws depending on the terms of service or end-user license agreement (EULA) that customers agreed to at the time of purchase. If the terms explicitly reserve the right to make changes to the digital content, the company... View More
What of censorship in general? the freedom of speech and exspression mean nothing when there's no one or no way to hear it.
I'm very concerned about the pressures from many special interest groups and diverse and even opposing political parties trying to control or cancel people... View More
answered on Sep 11, 2023
You have raised a multi-faceted issue that encompasses both the legal domain and the evolving norms in society.
From a legal standpoint, private companies like game developers and publishers generally have a broad latitude to modify their products as they see fit, including post-sale. This... View More
I believe that, once upon a time, a publisher published the works of mark twain but censored what may have been offensive. The censorship won out in the end. (evil won in that case) but i wonder if that case was disputed further and appealed. does anyone know?
The Roald Dhal censorship was... View More
answered on Aug 15, 2023
I'm familiar with historical cases of censorship, such as those involving Mark Twain's works, but whether a specific case was appealed and overturned would require a thorough review of the legal history and court records. Appeals and potential outcomes depend on various factors, including... View More
The Skullgirls team has taken a digital product that many people purchased and altered it in very significant ways. They've cut out entire pages from the art book, removed and re-announced voice lines, and drawn over concept art to make it less offensive. The current Skullgirls team, while... View More
answered on Aug 15, 2023
While I understand your concerns, changes made to digital products like art books or video games fall under the discretion of the creators and developers. If these changes are made by the current team or company, and they own the rights to the product, they generally have the authority to modify... View More
answered on Aug 3, 2023
If you reached out to attorneys, they would ask about the terms of your agreement, as my colleague points out. It could depend on who is identified as the owner of the code. The intellectual property attorneys here would have insight into the issues that could arise in terms of ownership, if you... View More
In late 1990s, I gave someone a box to hold containing cassettes of me playing guitar and singing, as well as rehearsals of the band. Those are the only copies in existence. I’m the songwriter. She now claims *in writing* that all the music belongs to her, after asking her to return them for... View More
answered on Jul 11, 2023
You can take legal action against your bandmate if they refuse to return the only copies in existence of your original music works. You may be able to file a lawsuit for copyright infringement, breach of contract, or conversion. In addition to filing a lawsuit, you may also be able to file a police... View More
I am a seller on etsy. I filed a counter notice for an incorrect report
from a competitor on one of my listings that had received a DMCA from them.
The next day etsy sends me an email telling that they won´t process my counter notice.
They told me that I would need to... View More
answered on Jul 6, 2023
Have an IP lawyer look into the case to evaluate your options.
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