Why is Disney So Placid About Mickey Mouse Entering the Public Domain in 2024?
Crystal Broughan, Intellectual Property Attorney Sep 1, 2022 in Copyrights
Who has two ears, two gloves, and lives in the happiest place on earth? Mickey Mouse is one of the most recognizable figures on the planet, and his likeness is owned by Disney. He is a valuable creative and commercial symbol indeed. Since the passage of the Copyright Act of 1976, we have been observing waves of previously copyrighted material entering the public domain. Now, in January 2024, we will see Mickey Mouse go through […]
Continue ReadingNew Platform Should Make Copyright Ownership Transfers Faster
Crystal Broughan, Intellectual Property Attorney Aug 25, 2022 in Copyrights
Copyright ownership transfers is not something that most people immediately think about where copyright is concerned. They want to know how they get copyright on something they have created. What kinds of protections they have. How to fight back if someone violates that copyright. However, transferring copyright from the individual author or artist to a business entity is actually hugely important, because it is one of the major ways that the owner of copyrighted material […]
Continue ReadingWhen an individual artist achieves a certain level of material success and fame, the Piece of the Pie Effect can occur: Smaller artists try to obtain credit and compensation for their part in the success. This is often achieved through intellectual property means. This circumstance may be arising between Mariah Carey and Andy Stone, better known by his stage name, Vince Vance, in a recent copyright infringement case. The Claims of Vince Vance Stone has […]
Continue ReadingThe Copyright Struggle Over Lakota Written Language
Crystal Broughan, Intellectual Property Attorney Jul 8, 2022 in Copyrights
Is there a space for communal ownership in U.S. copyright law? And what purpose would it serve? In May of this year, Standing Rock banned the Lakota Language Consortium (LLC), The Language Conservancy, and their founders, Wilhelm Meya and Jan Ullrich from the reservation. The North and South Dakota Indian Reservation serves as a primary place of residence for many members of Dakota and Lakota tribe sects, which are sub-groups of the Great Sioux Nation. […]
Continue ReadingTop Gun: Maverick Might Get Grounded By U.S. Copyright Act
Crystal Broughan, Intellectual Property Attorney Jun 17, 2022 in Copyrights
The Paramount movie Top Gun: Maverick made about $126 million in its opening weekend. You may remember its 1986 predecessor of a similar name, minus the “Maverick.” Rather than celebrate its success, however, Paramount may be dealing with copyright entanglement. The heirs of the work on which Top Gun was based are claiming copyright infringement, based on plain tenets of the U.S. Copyright Act. “Top Guns”: Yonay’s Article In 1983, freelance journalist Ehud Yonay wrote […]
Continue ReadingMisuse of DMCA Takedown Notices: Censorship Over Copyright Protection
Crystal Broughan, Intellectual Property Attorney Jun 9, 2022 in Copyrights
Congress established the 1998 Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA) in order to help regulate the usage of copyrighted material on the internet. It was meant to increase protection for both copyright holders and create a safe harbor for internet service providers – who would be frozen with lawsuits if held responsible each time a user posted infringing content without the website’s knowledge. Today, we are facing a different problem stemming from misuse of the DMCA. […]
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