Sat.Oct 16, 2021 - Fri.Oct 22, 2021

article thumbnail

Dealing with Historical Figures Who Fall Out of Favour:  Don’t Attack the Artwork

Hugh Stephens Blog

These days it is not uncommon to see red paint splashed on the statue of some controversial historical figure, or even to have the statue defaced, vandalized or perhaps torn down from its pedestal. It has happened to Christopher Columbus, Winston Churchill, Robert E. Lee, and Queen Victoria, to name just a few recent targets.

Artwork 239
article thumbnail

3 Count: Photo Battles

Plagiarism Today

Have any suggestions for the 3 Count? Let me know via Twitter @plagiarismtoday. 1: Pizza Companies Sued for Copyright Infringement of Advertising Photo. First off today, Kendall Heebink at Law Street reports that a pair of pizza companies have been sued by Prepared Food Photos, Inc. (PFPI), a company that does custom photography for food industry retailers and wholesalers.

Insiders

Sign Up for our Newsletter

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

article thumbnail

What makes a trademark law firm successful?

Erik K Pelton

A lot of elements going into making our firm what we are and making it successful. More than just inputs and outputs, work and fees. The things that make up our firm as a whole include people, experience, education, practicing what we preach, and much more. We constantly nourish a feed each of these inputs to grown and evolve. We believe that makes what we offer to our clients unparalleled.

article thumbnail

Dune Leaked on Pirate Sites Before US Theatrical & HBO Max Release

TorrentFreak

Dune (also known as Dune: Part One) is the first installment of a planned two-part adaption of the 1965 sci-fi book written by Frank Herbert. The movie has been in the planning for years, with filming eventually taking place between March and July 2019. Dune had its world premiere at the 78th Venice International Film Festival on September 3, 2021, and Warner Bros. released the movie internationally on September 15, which did not include key markets such as the US and UK.

Copying 145
article thumbnail

Software Composition Analysis: The New Armor for Your Cybersecurity

Speaker: Blackberry, OSS Consultants, & Revenera

Software is complex, which makes threats to the software supply chain more real every day. 64% of organizations have been impacted by a software supply chain attack and 60% of data breaches are due to unpatched software vulnerabilities. In the U.S. alone, cyber losses totaled $10.3 billion in 2022. All of these stats beg the question, “Do you know what’s in your software?

article thumbnail

Coons and Hirono Raise Concerns Over Pride in Patent Ownership Act Penalties

IP Watchdog

During a hearing of the Senate Judiciary Committee’s IP Subcommittee today, Senators Chris Coons (D-DE) and Mazie Hirono (D-HI) were the only senators present to question the Pride in Patent Ownership Act’s (PPOA’s) approach to penalizing patent owners who fail to record accurate ownership information within 90 days after the issuance date. The hearing included testimony from four witnesses on the topic of the PPOA introduced by Senators Patrick Leahy (D-VT) and Thom Tillis (R-NC) in September.

Ownership 124
article thumbnail

Analyzing the Squid Game Plagiarism Allegations

Plagiarism Today

The South Korean drama series Squid Game has been making headlines all over the world. Deemed by Netflix to be its “biggest-ever series launch” , the series has become a global phenomenon, being viewed by over 111 million accounts in the first month alone. However, the runaway success of the show has not prevented it from being the center of some controversy.

More Trending

article thumbnail

Anti-Piracy Outfits Still Target Pirate Sites That Shut Down Years Ago

TorrentFreak

Over the past decades, hundreds of popular ‘pirate’ sites have come and gone. This includes the likes of isoHunt, ExtraTorrent, and KickassTorrents. These shutdowns have a serious impact but, as time passes, estranged users eventually move on. The same can’t be said for all anti-piracy organizations. Hunting Pirate Ghosts. As it turns out, sites that have long disappeared are still seen as a ‘threat’ That is, judging from the takedown notices they send to Google.

Reporting 144
article thumbnail

COVID IP Waiver Attempts are Becoming Harder to Justify

IP Watchdog

Last week, at a meeting of the Council for Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS), World Trade Organization (WTO) members had an opportunity to engage in small group and bilateral meetings to discuss the proposals by South Africa and India to waive patent and trade secret protections relative to COVID-19 innovations, as well as the proposal from the European Union regarding the use of current TRIPS compulsory licensing provisions during a pandemic.

IP 121
article thumbnail

3 Count: I Got You Babe

Plagiarism Today

Have any suggestions for the 3 Count? Let me know via Twitter @plagiarismtoday. 1: Cher sues Mary Bono Over Sonny & Cher Song Royalties. First off today, Blake Brittain at Reuters reports that the musician Cher has filed a lawsuit against Mary Bono, the widow of Cher’s late music partner Sony Bono, to try and prevent the Bono estate from terminating her rights to the duo’s music.

Music 194
article thumbnail

Preventing trademark problems is like preventing cavities

Erik K Pelton

Some proactive habits can help greatly boost the health of our teeth and prevent cavities. Similarly, some proactive measures can help protect a brand and significantly lower the risk trademark problems! The post Preventing trademark problems is like preventing cavities appeared first on Erik M Pelton & Associates, PLLC.

Trademark 130
article thumbnail

IPO Diversity in Innovation Toolkit

Women and diverse employees have the technical skill and knowledge, yet their contributions are not patented at the same rate as those of their male counterparts.This toolkit can help organizations move the needle on achieving gender parity in innovation.

article thumbnail

Mega: 144,000+ Users Have Been Terminated For Repeat Copyright Infringement

TorrentFreak

Famously founded by Kim Dotcom a year after the 2012 shutdown of Megaupload, Mega has grown to become one of the most popular cloud storage sites online today. Dotcom is no longer involved with the platform but that hasn’t affected its growth. In its launch year Mega hosted just 0.6 million files but just 12 months later, that had grown to an impressive 3.6 billion.

article thumbnail

Creator Frustration Over TikTok Reflects System Weaknesses—Both Racial and Copyright

IP Watchdog

Millions of content creators hoping to establish a cash machine on platforms like TikTok, YouTube and Instagram are learning that it takes more than lively moves and thousands of followers to be taken seriously. They are also discovering that not all creators are created equal, even when they are the source. Content on TikTok and other social media platforms is theoretically copyrightable.

article thumbnail

3 Count: Less Than Routine

Plagiarism Today

Have any suggestions for the 3 Count? Let me know via Twitter @plagiarismtoday. 1: Spike Lee, Nate Parker Sued by Indie Filmmakers Over Copyright Infringement. First off today, Diane Haithman at TheWrap reports that filmmakers Spike Lee and Nate Parker have been sued for copyright infringement over allegations that their 2019 Film American Skin is an infringement of an earlier screenplay.

article thumbnail

Trademark Registration: The Whole is Greater Than the Sum of Its Parts

Erik K Pelton

There are numerous benefits to trademark registration. Each is critically important, but when all of them are put together, it creates a trademark fortress. In this episode Erik explains why, when it comes to trademark registration and protection, the whole is greater than the sum of its parts. The post Trademark Registration: The Whole is Greater Than the Sum of Its Parts appeared first on Erik M Pelton & Associates, PLLC.

article thumbnail

Domain Name Registries Dismiss Hollywood’s Piracy Critique

TorrentFreak

Last week, Hollywood’s Motion Picture Association (MPA) shared its annual overview of “notorious markets” with the US Trade Representative (USTR). This list typically includes examples of pirate sites and services. However, it goes further than that, as third-party intermediaries are called out as well. Notorious Domain Registries?

article thumbnail

Judge Koh Responses on Antitrust-IP Intersection Promise More of the Same

IP Watchdog

On October 5, the Senate Judiciary Committee considered the nomination of Judge Lucy Koh, currently of the U.S. Federal District for the Northern District of California, to an appointment by President Biden to the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit. After that hearing, several Senators submitted written questions, which Judge Koh responded to last week.

IP 116
article thumbnail

Plagiarizing University President Avoids Termination

Plagiarism Today

Earlier this month, we discussed the case of West Liberty University and its President, W. Franklin Evans. Evans, who was hired for the job in November 2020, gave a freshman convocation speech to a mix of students and faculty on September 15. However, as the speech went on, it became clear that many of the words he was speaking were not his own and not attributed in the speech.

article thumbnail

Does the Canadian Online Harms Proposal Increase Privacy Risks?

IPilogue

Photo by AbsolutVision ( UNSPLASH ). Emily Prieur is an IPilogue Writer and a 3L JD Candidate at Queen’s University Faculty of Law. . . Online privacy is, without a doubt, an area of growing concern. As technology takes a greater presence in our lives, lawmakers are right to turn their minds to its potential deleterious effects. However, with the new Liberal government proposal, legal scholars and law students alike are left wondering if the Canadian Online Harms proposal will do more harm tha

Privacy 116
article thumbnail

YouTube Rippers Oppose RIAA’s Worldwide ‘Blocking’ Injunction & Massive Damages

TorrentFreak

Earier this month the RIAA secured a major victory in its piracy lawsuit against YouTube-rippers FLVTO.biz and 2conv.com and their Russian operator Tofig Kurbanov. A Virginia federal court issued a default judgment in favor of several prominent music companies after the defendant walked away from the lawsuit. According to Judge Buchanan there is a clear need to deter the behavior of Kurbanov, who also failed to hand over evidence including server logs.

Music 128
article thumbnail

AI – A Rushing Snowball: Can AI-made Inventions Be Patented?

JD Supra Law

AI - a rushing snowball - Human intelligence has developed over thousands of years. Meanwhile, AI, including deep learning algorithms, is the result of just a few decades of work and development. There is no doubt that this snowball cannot be stopped. Artificial intelligence already has a huge impact on key areas of the economy. It also raises a number of critical legal issues, including those relating to innovation and creativity, faced by states, regulators and competent authorities across the

Invention 113
article thumbnail

Models’ Lawsuits Against Nightclubs Highlight SCOTUS Petition Challenging Elevation of ‘Public Prominence’ Factor in Lanham Act Cases

IP Watchdog

In mid-October, a pair of lawsuits were filed in the Eastern District of Virginia by different groups of professional models seeking damages and injunctive relief under the Lanham Act from adult entertainment clubs for the unauthorized use of the models’ images in promotional materials. The filings come at about the same time that the U.S. Supreme Court is considering a petition for writ of certiorari from the U.S.

Trademark 111
article thumbnail

Is the Villainous Portrayal of Disfigurement Really Worth the Price of the “JAMES BOND 007” Trademark?

IPilogue

Photo by Max Bender ( Unsplash ). Olaoluwa Oni is a published author and a graduate research student at Osgoode Hall Law School. Her debut novel, The yNBA , is Nigeria’s first legal drama novel. . A new movie in the James Bond franchise – No Time to Die – was recently released worldwide. The plot of the new film follows the Bond-movie archetype: the MI6 agent is sent on a crime-fighting mission, working with an attractive woman – a “Bond Girl” – to defeat villains who – and this is the subject

Trademark 111
article thumbnail

Filmmakers Withdraw Popcorn Time ‘Blocking’ Request After Google Shows Up

TorrentFreak

Copyright holders have tried a wide variety of legal options to tackle online piracy, including lawsuits. This year we have seen a series of complaints in US courts where filmmakers sued third-party services for facilitating piracy. This includes VPN providers and their hosting companies. VPN.ht is one of the companies that was sued. Last week it settled the case by agreeing, among other things, that it would block BitTorrent traffic and keep logs on US servers.

article thumbnail

Cher Sues Mary Bono for $1 Million Over Missing Royalties

JD Supra Law

- Cher filed a lawsuit against her late musical partner and ex-husband Sonny Bono’s widow over the rights to many of their cherished Sonny & Cher songs. She asked the court to block the trust which handles Sonny’s estate, the Bono Collection Trust, from terminating her rights that granted her 50 percent of the royalties under their divorce settlement.

article thumbnail

Comments on USPTO Patent Eligibility Study Reveal Stark Contrast in Viewpoints of Some U.S. Patent Stakeholders

IP Watchdog

Friday, October 15, marked the final day of the public comment period for the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office’s patent eligibility jurisprudence study. By the close of the comment period, 43 public comments were submitted from entities with very different viewpoints on the U.S. patent system. Public comments will be used to determine how the current state of Section 101 patent eligibility case law is impacting investment in U.S. innovation.

Patent 111
article thumbnail

Section 230 Protects Securities Exchange–Saveene v. Remo

Technology & Marketing Law Blog

This case involves an alleged case of corporate hijacking. The plaintiff alleges that it bought a controlling interest in a corporate entity opaquely named American Diversified Holdings Corp. (“ADHC”) from Remo. Remo then allegedly dissolved the Nevada entity and, without permission, created a new entity in Wyoming with the same name and filed reports for “ADHC” with the OTC securities exchange.

article thumbnail

RIAA: ‘Refocused’ Yout Stream-Ripping Lawsuit Should Be Dismissed

TorrentFreak

Yout.com’s legal battle with the RIAA, which was instigated by the YouTube-ripping service in 2020, hasn’t been a straightforward affair. The original complaint hoped to achieve a declaratory judgment that the service operates legally but the RIAA has fought back on every detail. The basis of Yout’s complaint is that it operates an entirely legal service that, contrary to the claims of the RIAA, does not “descramble, decrypt, avoid, bypass, remove, deactivate, or impair” YouTub

Music 120
article thumbnail

Let the Chips Fall Where They May: Hershey Sues Californian Cookie Maker

IPilogue

Photo by Ashley Kirk ( Unsplash ). Meena Alnajar is an IPilogue?Writer, IP Innovation Clinic Fellow,?and a 2L JD Candidate at?Osgoode?Hall Law School. . On September 28, 2021 , The Hershey Co. chocolate company (“Hershey”) filed a lawsuit against Californian cookie maker The Cookie Department Inc. (“Cookie Department”) for copying Hershey’s famous Kisses shape.

article thumbnail

What Is a W-9 Form and When Do I Need One?

Legal Zoom

The taxpayer information on a W-9 is used by a business to report to the IRS on payments made to independent contractors and other vendors. Should you be filling out a W-9 or W-4? It depends on whether you're an independent contractor or an employee.

Reporting 105
article thumbnail

Social Media Is Often a Defamation-Free Zone…But Not Always–Steak N Shake v. White

Technology & Marketing Law Blog

I’ve blogged some recent cases showing how it’s become really, really hard to win defamation cases over social media content (e.g., Rapaport v. Barstool ). Still, online defamation claims can succeed, as this case shows. But even if the plaintiff wins in court, does it truly win? * * *. The court summarizes the facts: On the job at Steak N Shake, Melissa White thought she found worms in hamburger meat, and insisted her manager inspect the meat.

article thumbnail

RIAA Criticizes ICANN for ‘Hindering’ Its Anti-Piracy Efforts

TorrentFreak

Tackling online piracy is a complicated endeavor that often starts by identifying the operators of infringing sites and services. This is also where the first hurdles come into play. Most pirate operations shroud themselves in secrecy and do all they can to remain anonymous. This starts with the domain name registration. The owner of every domain name on the Internet is required to supply personal information when they buy a domain.

Privacy 119
article thumbnail

Amplifying Black Female Innovators: Engineer Marian Croak and Dr. Patricia Bath

IPilogue

Photo by Gayatri Malhotra ( Unsplash ). Emily Chow is an IPilogue Writer and a 1L JD Candidate at Osgoode Hall Law School. . . The US National Inventors Hall of Fame (“NIHF”) has released its list of 2022 inductees, which notably includes two Black Female inventors for the first time in this organization’s 48-year history. As the NIHF has never inducted Black woman before, I intend to provide some preliminary historical context, an overview of Black women’s contributions to STEM, and to gest

Inventor 106
article thumbnail

Evergreening of Patents

Kashishipr

Evergreening is any of the various legal, business, and technological ways using which manufacturers extend the lifetime of their patents that are about to expire to retain royalties from them by either taking out new patents (for example, over related delivery systems or new pharmaceutical mixtures) or buying out or frustrating competitors for a longer duration of time than what would normally be permissible under the law.

Patent 105
article thumbnail

Why Songwriters Should Care About Inflation Protection for Mechanical Licenses

The Trichordist

[This post first appeared on MusicTech.Solutions] By Chris Castle In a word: Stagflation. Maybe. In more words, classic stagflation occurs when supply side shocks lead to the… Read more "Why Songwriters Should Care About Inflation Protection for Mechanical Licenses".

Licensing 104
article thumbnail

beIN Identifies IPTV Providers and Xtream-UI Panel As Major Piracy Threats

TorrentFreak

Qatar-based TV network beIN has been heavily embroiled in perhaps the most controversial TV piracy scandal in recent years. Saudi-backed pirate satellite provider beoutQ threatened to decimate beIN’s business and the ensuing battle had far reaching consequences. The conflict was part of a diplomatic crisis between Qatar and other Arab countries and resulted in beIN being prevented from doing business in Saudi Arabia.

Reporting 118