By Gary Symons TLL Editor in Chief Officials in Arizona have charged two men on allegations they defrauded YouTube of $20 million by falsely claiming they owned rights to more than 50,000 songs. According to a statement from the US Attorney's Office charges have been laid against Jose Teran of Scottsdale, Az. and Webster Batista, 38, of Doral, Fla. The allegations include … [Read more...] about Licensing Law: MediaMuv Charged With Stealing $20 Million in Music Royalties From YouTube
Licensing Law
Licensing Law: Peloton Sues Lululemon After Branding Breakup
Two giants of the fitness industry are facing off in court, soon after a five-year licensing and branding deal between Lululemon and Peloton ended in an amicable breakup. Peloton Interactive, the exercise bike company, has now sued Lululemon Athletica after the fitness fashion house threatened its own lawsuit over Peloton's new apparel line. Peloton filed its lawsuit in … [Read more...] about Licensing Law: Peloton Sues Lululemon After Branding Breakup
Licensing Law: Trump Social Media Site Faces Potential Legal Action
By Gary Symons TLL Editor in Chief Former US President Donald Trump faces more legal troubles, as the Software Freedom Conservancy (SFC) says Trump's new social media network violates a free and open-source software licensing agreement by ripping off the decentralized social network Mastodon. The recently formed Trump Media and Technology Group (TMTG) now has 30 days to … [Read more...] about Licensing Law: Trump Social Media Site Faces Potential Legal Action
Legal Action Threatened Over Pic of Naked Man Chasing Pig
A German actor whose photograph of a naked man pursuing a wild boar went viral has said she might take legal action against a company that duplicated the scene for model railway enthusiasts. While hilarious, the incident raises questions about when and how companies can use images without copyright permission or a licensing agreement. Adele Landauer, an actor and charisma … [Read more...] about Legal Action Threatened Over Pic of Naked Man Chasing Pig
Not So Nice: Baron Cohen Sues Pot Shop
Actor and comedian Sacha Baron Cohen has filed suit against a Massachusetts cannabis shop for using an image of his character Borat on a billboard (pictured here) without his permission. According to documents filed in U.S. District Court in Boston, Baron Cohen alleges the billboard for Somerset-based Solar Therapeutics Inc. showed him posing as Borat with two thumbs up and … [Read more...] about Not So Nice: Baron Cohen Sues Pot Shop
You Make the Call: Is This Infringement?
By Glenn S. Demby, Esq. The never-ending legal adventures of Deadmau5 and his famous trademark highlight key issues in copyright and trademark law as they relate to licensing. Question 1 Does this... ...infringe on this? The logo on the left, which belongs to one Joel Zimmerman, aka Deadmau5, bears a noticeable resemblance to the iconic logo below. So … [Read more...] about You Make the Call: Is This Infringement?
Trap to Avoid: Using Licensee’s Brand to Define “Licensed Articles” in Your Exclusive
By Glenn S. Demby, Esq. THE SITUATION Film studio Nonexistent Cinema licenses the characters from its highly anticipated sci-fi movie XYZ Force to manufacturer Fictitious Toys for an exclusive line of action figures to be sold under Fictitious's registered trademark, Pseudo Heroes®. THE AGREEMENT The licensing agreement grants Fictitious exclusive rights to use the XYZ … [Read more...] about Trap to Avoid: Using Licensee’s Brand to Define “Licensed Articles” in Your Exclusive
3 Licensing Lawsuits to Watch
NFL Players Sue FanDuel Already on the defensive for allegedly running a gambling operation without a license in states like Nevada and New York, daily fantasy football operators have a new legal problem. A group of NFL players led by Washington receiver Pierre Garcon filed a class action against FanDuel over its unlicensed use of the players' names and images for games and … [Read more...] about 3 Licensing Lawsuits to Watch