Copyright Infringement
The same week that Spotify, the world’s biggest streaming service, went public on the New York Stock Exchange, it was sued by Wixen Music Publishing for copyright infringement in the United States District Court for the Central District of California. Wixen, a California based licensing company, handles copyright management and royalty compliance. They represent the…
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Intellectual property is extremely valuable to a business. It includes products, works, symbols, and designs that are owned by a company. Companies seeking to protect their intellectual property should first file an application with the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) or the United States Copyright Office. How do you know whether you need…
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While deriving inspiration from a work does not in and of itself establish copyright infringement, overwhelming similarities between two works can constitute infringement. This question—inspiration or infringement— seems to be practically synonymous with best picture Oscar winner The Shape of Water. In February 2018, the estate of Pulitzer Prize winning playwright Paul Zindel, sued Fox…
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Meme ˈmēm . You know them, you love them, you are always laughing at them. Memes are constantly copied and rapidly spread all over the Internet. But have you ever paused to consider where they come from and whether it is actually legal to share and re-post these pop culture picture excerpts? While those who share…
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Understanding Online Copyright Infringement The speed and culture of the Internet has led to an increase in software, websites, images, and writing being shared and utilized without the permission of the actual owner of the work. These works are usually protected by a license or other agreement, and accordingly, sharing and using these works without…
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What Are the Penalties for Copyright Infringement? Copyright infringement occurs when someone uses your work without obtaining your permission. Works covered by copyright law include text, photography, videos, books, music, movies and plays, graphics or art, architecture, and sound. In today’s technological age, it is so easy to copy someone else’s copyrighted work—but that does…
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Grumpy Cat, the Internet celebri-kitty known for her memes, finally has a reason to smile. Actually, she has over 700,000 reasons to smile. After a week-long trial, a federal jury composed of eight humans (and zero cats!) in Santa Ana, California decided that Grenade Beverage LLC, a Californian coffee company, breached the Grumpy Cat Limited’s…
Read More Most people don’t think twice about what they put online, but it is important to consider what you’re publishing for the world to see. Safety is one concern, but so is copyright. Many people who put creative work out onto the World Wide Web are shocked when they become victims of online copyright infringement. With…
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