Case Could Help Other Artists Prevent Politicians From Using Their Music Without Permission By Gary Symons TLL Editor in Chief Presidential candidate Donald Trump lost his legal battle with singer Eddy Grant over his campaign's use of the 1983 hit song Electric Avenue. The conflict dates back to the 2020 presidential campaign, which Trump lost to current US President Joe … [Read more...] about Trump Loses Copyright Battle Over Use of Song ‘Electric Avenue’
Copyright Law
Isaac Hayes Estate Suing Trump For Unauthorized Use of Hit Song
“Never, Never Use That Song Again” Says Son Isaac Hayes III By Gary Symons TLL Editor in Chief The estate of music legend Isaac Hayes plans to sue the Donald Trump campaign for unauthorized use of the song 'Hold On, I'm Coming'. The family threatened a $3 million lawsuit over the weekend, saying the presidential nominee for the GOP and his lawyers have ignored previous … [Read more...] about Isaac Hayes Estate Suing Trump For Unauthorized Use of Hit Song
Kartoon Studios Launching Its Own Winnie-The-Pooh Franchise
By Gary Symons TLL Editor in Chief Move over Disney; the animation house Kartoon Studios is launching its own franchise for the A.A. Milne classic Winnie-The-Pooh. Today, the global studio announced new funding and critical new hires for the franchise, saying licensing and consumer products will be a major aspect of the program. The rights to the Winnie-The-Pooh … [Read more...] about Kartoon Studios Launching Its Own Winnie-The-Pooh Franchise
Must Read: Supreme Court Rules Against Warner Music in Copyright Case
By Gary Symons TLL Editor in Chief Photo by Sunira Moses The US Supreme Court found there is no time limit for damages in copyright cases, ruling against Warner Music in a precedent-setting lawsuit. The Supreme Court on Thursday ruled in favor of Miami-based music producer Sherman Nealy, who became embroiled in a legal battle with Warner Music over a song by the popular … [Read more...] about Must Read: Supreme Court Rules Against Warner Music in Copyright Case
Licensing Law: Google Faces Fines, Multibillion Dollar Lawsuit In Europe
By Gary Symons TLL Editor in Chief The search and advertising giant Google is facing a double whammy of legal threats over its media activities in the European Union. In one case, Google was fined €250 million on March 20 by French regulators, who say the company breached an agreement to pay media companies for reproducing their content online. In the second case, … [Read more...] about Licensing Law: Google Faces Fines, Multibillion Dollar Lawsuit In Europe
Three News Outlets Join Copyright Battle Against ChatGPT Owner OpenAI
By Gary Symons TLL Editor in Chief News outlets The Intercept, Raw Story and AlterNet have filed a lawsuit against OpenAI, joining the fight against unauthorized use of journalism by generative artificial intelligence. The organizations say thousands of their stories were used by OpenAI to train its ChatGPT chatbot to answer questions posed to it by users, essentially using … [Read more...] about Three News Outlets Join Copyright Battle Against ChatGPT Owner OpenAI
Donna Summer’s Widower Sues Kanye West for ‘Stealing’ Hit Song
By Gary Symons TLL Editor in Chief The estate of the late disco queen Donna Summer is suing Kanye West and Ty Dolla $ign, alleging they used her song I Feel Love without permission. The suit is being brought by Summer's widower Bruce Sudano, who is also the executor of her estate. Filed in California on Tuesday, the lawsuit alleges West and Ty initially asked for permission … [Read more...] about Donna Summer’s Widower Sues Kanye West for ‘Stealing’ Hit Song
Uniqlo Sues Shein Over Alleged Imitation of Its Hit ‘Mary Poppins’ Bag
By Gary Symons TLL Editor in Chief Japanese fashion giant Uniqlo is suing rival Chinese online retailer Shein over allegations selling copies of the so-called 'Mary Poppins' bag. The distinctive crescent shaped purse—officially known as the 'round mini'—has been a huge seller for Uniqlo, particularly after it went viral on TikTok for how many items it can carry despite its … [Read more...] about Uniqlo Sues Shein Over Alleged Imitation of Its Hit ‘Mary Poppins’ Bag
Arc’teryx Wins Injunction Over Adidas’ Terrex Store in Vancouver
Judge Cites Store Location on Same Block as Aggravating Factor By Gary Symons TLL Editor in Chief The Canadian outdoor company Arc'teryx just won a temporary injunction barring Adidas from using the name 'Terrex' on its flagship store in Vancouver. In what the judge in the case described as a "David vs. Goliath" battle over trademark infringement, the Supreme Court … [Read more...] about Arc’teryx Wins Injunction Over Adidas’ Terrex Store in Vancouver
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