Copyright & Social Media
Communications Law
Do Foreign Inventors Get a Fair Shot at Patent Grant in Canada? I Unleashed AI on 100,000 Patent Applications to Find Out
This summer I worked at an intellectual property firm in downtown Vancouver, immersed in the world of patent prosecution. My days were spent drafting correspondence and amendments for patent applications destined for the Canadian Intellectual Property Office (CIPO) and the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO). Our clients included both Canadian inventors filing patents […]
Trademarking Your Face: The New Frontier Against Deepfakes?
AI: An Acute Issue? Trademarks traditionally serve a commercial function by allowing a person to distinguish their goods or services from those of others.[1] However, amidst the rapid adoption of artificial intelligence (AI) technologies, and the resultant proliferation of deepfakes,[2] could trademarks emerge as a potential safeguard against the unauthorized exploitation of one’s physical likeness? English television […]
The World of Intellectual Proper(kit)ty
For my project, I chose to look into something I’m truly passionate about: cats. But Tyleigh, isn’t this all a little millennial cringe? Yes, but consider this a palate cleanser from all the very serious, real world problems going on. Instructions for Viewing Presentation Link: https://www.canva.com/design/DAG75lu26AU/hwQ6-HgHBQh3rD65SKi5cg/view?utm_content=DAG75lu26AU&utm_campaign=designshare&utm_medium=link2&utm_source=uniquelinks&utlId=h696852ee1f ——— References, Organized by Topic: Grumpy Cat PUMA Deadmau5/Meowingtons […]
Stories within Stories – Who Owns the Copyright?
Term project by Dylan Nouri Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance) is my favourite movie of all time. The 2015 Best Picture winner features Riggan Thomson, a washed-up Hollywood actor who used to play the titular Birdman in a series of exciting, but superficial, action movies back in the 90s. Decades later, in an […]
Re-Imagining “Ms Jackson”: AI Remix Culture, Copyright, and the 1950s Soul Version
Recent social media posts and YouTube uploads have reimagined the early-2000s hip-hop classics. One striking example is Outcast’s Ms Jackson, reimagined as though it were recorded in a 1950s soul-blues club, complete with vintage instrumentation, crooning vocals, and a soundscape that feels lifted from another decade. The concept is widespread, occurring with other big artists, […]
Tragic: The Gathering – The Story of How My Favourite Game Made Billions Losing Itself
In this post I’d like to tell a story about Magic: the Gathering. Magic: The Gathering (MTG, or Magic) is a trading card game developed by Wizards of the Coast (WotC), and for the past 6 years it has been my obsession. I’ve collected cards, traded with friends, and played the game, both casually and […]
NFTs and Copyright: Is Blockchain Possession Creative Ownership?
Over the last decade, we have seen a revolution on the internet. Particularly, now more than ever, people have begun to embrace digital assets, from Bitcoin and cryptocurrency tokens to NFTs (non-fungible tokens). According to Zimmerman and Giddens, an NFT can be understood as a digital certificate associated with specific rights in an asset. They […]
Nintendo of America v King: The Crystallization of Digital Copyright Enforcement in Canada
Term Paper by Shaan Lail Generated image using Gemini During this term, we learned about technological protection measures [TPMs] and how those who manufacture, import, distribute, offer for sale/rental, or provide any technology, device or component may be liable if the primary purpose is circumvention of a TPM. Nintendo of America v King, 2017 FC […]
When an Instrument Becomes a Work of Art: The Swiss “Hang” Case Through a Canadian IP Lens
1. Copyright, Design, and the Shape of Sound In intellectual property (IP) law, the boundaries between different forms of protection are not always clear-cut. Copyright traditionally safeguards creative expression, whereas industrial design regimes focus on the visual appearance of manufactured products. When an object serves a practical function while also embodying distinctive aesthetic qualities, it […]
I Run, the Next Hit Song! Or Is It?
A Case Study of AI and the Music Industry What is the trending “I Run” Controversy? Last month, the music side of TikTok went absolutely crazy over a new song called “I Run.” An anonymous producer “Haven” dropped what sounded like a new, unreleased Jorja Smith single. It went viral immediately, hitting almost 3 million […]