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New York Copyright Questions & Answers
1 Answer | Asked in Copyright for New York on
Q: The use of famous names/trademarks in word search books.

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

James L. Arrasmith
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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

2 Answers | Asked in Copyright and Intellectual Property for New York on
Q: Is it illegal if I take/use pictures of nightclubs using my own phone/camera to use on my app that's based on NYC clubs?

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

James L. Arrasmith
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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...
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Q: I want to use a name that's trademarked under the entertainment/toys section, for my new tech company - am I allowed to?
James L. Arrasmith
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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

2 Answers | Asked in Consumer Law, Copyright, Intellectual Property and Trademark for New York on
Q: Will there be legal issues if I mention TikTok's name while promoting my app?

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.

James L. Arrasmith
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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

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1 Answer | Asked in Business Law, Copyright, Intellectual Property and Trademark for New York on
Q: Can I create a name that is "word1 and word 2: word 3 word 4 word 5" when "word1 and word2" is already a trade mark?

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?

James L. Arrasmith
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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

1 Answer | Asked in Copyright, Business Law, Trademark and Intellectual Property for New York on
Q: Is it legally allowed to sell goods such as clothing items with the phrase "Spidey sense" on them?

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.

James L. Arrasmith
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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

1 Answer | Asked in Copyright and Intellectual Property for New York on
Q: Is it legal to make an AI generating pictures app based on description from other ai engine that a user enters the url?

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

James L. Arrasmith
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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

3 Answers | Asked in Copyright and Intellectual Property for New York on
Q: If I took aspects of a smaller artist work to incorporate in my own song, could I be found guilty of copyright infringe

If I used synths and the background Melodie’s and the same arrangement. The lyrics and singer is completely different.

James L. Arrasmith
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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

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1 Answer | Asked in Copyright and Intellectual Property for New York on
Q: Hello: Cates v. Shlemovitz, et al. No.3:21-cv-00805 (N.D.N.Y. 2022) Am appealing # 23-750 2nd circuit.

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/

James L. Arrasmith
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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

1 Answer | Asked in Copyright, Gaming and Intellectual Property for New York on
Q: So If a company doesn't renew a license deal for a game is it still illegal to pirate the game?

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

James L. Arrasmith
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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

1 Answer | Asked in Consumer Law, Small Claims, Copyright, Business Law and Intellectual Property for New York on
Q: The Skullgirls team has taken a digital product that many people purchased and altered it in very significant ways.

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

James L. Arrasmith
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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

3 Answers | Asked in Copyright and Intellectual Property for New York on
Q: Legality of web application displaying summarized news articles across range of news sites with sources cited.

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

James L. Arrasmith
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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

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1 Answer | Asked in Copyright for New York on
Q: Can I trade mark Diddle Hatt

I want to trademark this word phrase

John Michael Frick
John Michael Frick
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.

1 Answer | Asked in Consumer Law, Copyright, Intellectual Property and Internet Law for New York on
Q: The Skullgirls team has taken a digital product that many people purchased and altered it in very significant ways.

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

James L. Arrasmith
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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

1 Answer | Asked in Consumer Law, Copyright, Civil Rights, Gaming and Intellectual Property for New York on
Q: Doesn't censorship of a product after point of sale present some legal challanges?

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

James L. Arrasmith
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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...
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Q: MarkTwain and Censorship. appeals?

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

James L. Arrasmith
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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

1 Answer | Asked in Contracts, Copyright, Civil Litigation and Intellectual Property for New York on
Q: The Skullgirls team has taken a digital product that many people purchased and altered it in very significant ways.

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

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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

3 Answers | Asked in Business Law, Civil Litigation, Intellectual Property and Copyright for New York on
Q: Do I have as a software developer the right to confiscate source code, if the customer denies to pay the last 10%
Tim Akpinar
Tim Akpinar
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

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2 Answers | Asked in Copyright and Intellectual Property for New York on
Q: What can I do if my band mate refuses to return the only copies in existence of my original music works?

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

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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

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1 Answer | Asked in Copyright for New York on
Q: Etsy asks me to contact a lawyer for being unable to process a counter notice

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

Daniel Michael Luisi
Daniel Michael Luisi
answered on Jul 6, 2023

Have an IP lawyer look into the case to evaluate your options.

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