Communications Law
Encanto: Disney’s trademark applications
Hi everyone, I’ve been loving the movie and soundtrack of “Encanto” lately, so I thought I’d do a dive into its trademark applications to the USPTO (United States Patent and Trademark Office). Here are a few interesting and fun facts: I found 10 separate “Disney Encanto” trademark applications. 2 are of the “stylized script”: *click […]
David v Goliath: A glimpse into a Danish case on Trademarks
Being an exchange student from Denmark I figured it would be interesting to give everyone a glimpse into Danish trademark law by looking at a case. The case will provide some insight into how trademarks are delt with in Danish law. I also find the aftermath of this specific case particularly interesting, because it shows […]
Fanfiction wars: a lesson in the difference between trademark and copyright
Yesterday, Young Adult novelist Laura Silverman tweeted that one of her candles she was selling was being taken down for Trademark infringement. Silverman’s candle, which she was selling on Etsy, had a label that read: “Go Away, I’m Reading Fanfiction.” This was allegedly an infringement on the “Harry Potter” trademark, but Silverman noted that she […]
Vancouver Entertainment Brand Allows NFT Holders to Own Their Characters: NFT as Proof of Copyright Ownership?
Here’s the article: Canadian entertainment brand allows NFT holders to own their characters (VIDEO) We previously discussed in class the unfortunate case where a crypto investment / entertainment group purchased a copy of Dune for an exorbitant price, and the fact that ownership of the book did not confer copyright. Now we have entertainment brands […]
Github Copilot: AI Generated Code and Issues of Copyright
Hi all, Here is my presentation for this class. Please let me know if you are having trouble accessing it. The presentation is on Github Copilot and the copyright implications of AI-generated code. Here is some background material regarding Github, Github Copilot, as well as the GPL licenses implicated by the use of Github Copilot […]
Leonard v Nike Inc: Board Man Doesn’t Get Paid
*Please note that I wrote this to post before class 2, so it only covers the course material from class 1 and week 2 readings: Hey everyone, the Kenrick & Co v Lawrence & Co case from our first class about a drawing of a hand reminded me of one of the most memorable copyright […]
Ed Sheeran Height
Hello everyone, Just as a follow-up to one of the most important topics from the last class, I would like to share this research showing that Ed Sheeran’s height in fact is not 4’11”. Rather, as the attached article shows, he is 5 feet and 7¾ inches tall. The author also points out that “[t]here’s nothing […]
Dua Lipa’s “Levitating” and the moral realm of musical copyright
Every musician and non-musician alike knows that there is a limited number and combination of keys and chords that compile what we know and cherish as songs. Throughout the years, there has been no shortage of copyright issues with some of our favourite songs. Recently, Led Zeppelin won a case challenging their famous song “Stairway […]
Burger King Trolls McDonalds After They Lose Trademark Battle in the EU
This is from a while back but I came across it scrolling through Instagram. Back in 2019, Mcdonald’s lost a trademark battle regarding their iconic Big Mac burger and the prefix “Mc” against Irish burger chain Supermacs. (McDonald’s Loses Trademark Battle) The article I linked explains a bit of the legal battle. This instance has […]
Formula 1 and IP – Why F1 and Patents Don’t Mesh
Hi everyone, As the new Formula 1 (F1) season is fast approaching, the first race of the season being on March 20th, I was curious about how F1 handles IP. This curiosity is derived from the innovation that F1 exhibits each season. For those that do not know, each year each F1 team has to […]