2019 Intellectual Property Legal News Archives

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February 2019: Judge Dismisses Case against Facebook, Google, and Twitter over Shooting
Saturday, 16 February, 2019

A San Francisco federal judge has dismissed a lawsuit against Facebook, Google, and Twitter filed by victims and family members of victims of the 2015 mass shooting in San Bernardino, California. As NPR reported, fourteen people were killed and 22 were injured when Syed Rizwan Farook and his wife Tashfeen Malik … continue reading
January 2019: Swahili Speakers Object to Disney’s Trademark of “Hakuna Matata”
Thursday, 24 January, 2019

For most people who don’t speak Swahili, the phrase “Hakuna Matata” is probably best known From the 1994 Disney film The Lion King. The phrase is the title of a song from the movie, and it means “no worries.” For 60 to 150 million Swahili speakers (estimates vary), who mostly live in … continue reading

Performers Sue over Fortnight Dance Moves
Tuesday, 22 January, 2019

Three performers have sued Epic Games, which makes the online game Fortnite, claiming that it stole their dance moves. As the New York Times reported, the game is free to download but offers in-game purchases such as dance moves called “emotes”: Among those moves, according to the complaints, filed beginning in December … continue reading

Copyright Law and the Ocasio-Cortez Dance Video
Saturday, 19 January, 2019

A record 102 women — 35 of them newly-elected — were recently sworn in as members of the US Congress. One of them was 29-year-old New York Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, the youngest congresswoman in US history. The night before she was sworn in, a video of her as a teenager appeared online … continue reading

New Copyright Rule Is Good News for Filmmakers
Wednesday, 9 January, 2019

The US Copyright Office recently published a rule that allows broader use of video clips from previous works in fictional films. This is good news for filmmakers — and especially for makers of low-budget films. Clearances “Film clearance” is the process of getting all the rights necessary for the production of a film. … continue reading