JRR Tolkien Estate Wins Two Lawsuits Against Author Infringing on Its IP By Allison Watkinson TLL Reporter The Estate of JRR Tolkien has successfully won two US court rulings concerning copyright infringement on The Lord of the Rings book series. The subject of the copyright infringement court cases concerned an unauthorized sequel novel called The Fellowship of the … [Read more...] about The Tolkien Lawsuit: One Copyright to Rule Them All
Licensing Law
Real Life ‘Joker’ Threatens Lawsuit For Use of His Likeness in GTA 6
By Gary Symons TLL Editor in Chief A Florida man who tattooed his face to resemble the DC character The Joker says the Grand Theft Auto game used his likeness in a promotional trailer. Lawrence Sullivan is demanding millions in damages, claiming video game studio Rockstar Games used his likeness in a recent trailer for the latest instalment of the massively popular … [Read more...] about Real Life ‘Joker’ Threatens Lawsuit For Use of His Likeness in GTA 6
CBC News Investigation Alleges Artificial Intelligence Violated Author’s Copyright
By Gary Symons TLL Editor in Chief (Disclosure: The writer of this article was formerly a member of the Investigative Unit at CBC News, ending in 2008) An investigation by CBC News says the work of Canadian authors were shared online as part of a dataset used for training artificial intelligence software. The Canadian broadcaster found that at least 2,500 copyrighted books … [Read more...] about CBC News Investigation Alleges Artificial Intelligence Violated Author’s Copyright
Google Reaches Agreement to Pay Canadian Media For News Content
By Gary Symons TLL Editor in Chief The Canadian government and Google have just reached a landmark agreement that will see the search giant paying for news content. Canadian media outlets, including CBC News, are reporting today that Google and the federal government have resolved their dispute over the Online News Act, according to sources. CBC reports … [Read more...] about Google Reaches Agreement to Pay Canadian Media For News Content
Two Major Advances in Generative Music AI Announced by YouTube and Grimes
By Gary Symons TLL Editor in Chief Artificial intelligence is turning the licensing world on its head, and this week saw major announcements from YouTube and the artist Grimes. The Google-owned YouTube streaming service has licensed the voices of John Legend and Sia for AI-created soundtracks, while Grimes' company Create Safe is creating a new tool for publishing and … [Read more...] about Two Major Advances in Generative Music AI Announced by YouTube and Grimes
Two Men Arrested As Feds Seize $1 Billion in Counterfeit Designer Goods
By Gary Symons TLL Editor in Chief Federal prosecutors arrested two men Nov. 15 in what they say was the largest-ever seizure of counterfeit goods in US history. The investigators seized more than 200,000 counterfeit handbags, clothes and other luxury items worth $1.03 billion. The indictments of Adama Sow and Abdulaj Jalloh were unsealed, … [Read more...] about Two Men Arrested As Feds Seize $1 Billion in Counterfeit Designer Goods
Licensing Law: Shelby Wins Trademark Fight Over the GT 500 Mustang Brand
By Gary Symons TLL Editor in Chief A California court has put Shelby back in the driver's seat for brand ownership of the legendary GT500 Shelby Mustang. In a story that seems like it was pulled from a film script, the Shelby Trust has been fighting for a decade to win back its trademark, which was claimed by the producer of three Hollywood films that featured the car. It … [Read more...] about Licensing Law: Shelby Wins Trademark Fight Over the GT 500 Mustang Brand
Guess Who Founders Sue Former Bandmates for ‘Fake BS Shows’
By Gary Symons The Guess Who, one of the great bands from the 1970s, is embroiled in a lawsuit between four of the original members. Guess Who founding members Burton Cummings and Randy Bachman, who wrote most of the music, are suing their former band mates Jim Kale and Garry Peterson, as well as the rest of the current lineup of The Guess Who. The two musicians accuse the … [Read more...] about Guess Who Founders Sue Former Bandmates for ‘Fake BS Shows’
Who’s News: Seeker Music Appoints Dan Stuart as General Counsel
By Allison Watkinson TLL Reporter Seeker Music has appointed music and talent industry professional Dan Stuart to the position of general counsel. “I’ve known Dan for almost 20 years and what I’ve known about Dan since the day I met him is how smart, dedicated, passionate, authentic, and well-respected he is," said Seeker Music CEO, Evan Bogart. "He is one of the best in … [Read more...] about Who’s News: Seeker Music Appoints Dan Stuart as General Counsel
JPatton: The Company That Fiercely Protects Your Brand
Leader in Brand Protection Showing Off New Licensing Management System at BLE By Gary Symons TLL Editor in Chief In the world of licensing, nothing is more important than protecting your brand. But according to Franco Diaz (at right in above photo, with VP Pete Reyes) of the brand protection technology manufacturer JPatton, many brand owners don’t invest in brand … [Read more...] about JPatton: The Company That Fiercely Protects Your Brand