Intellectual Property Law Commons^™

Tennessee Legislature Declares That The Human Voice Will Remain ‘The King’ In Nashville, Ryan Bickett

Cardozo Arts & Entertainment Law Journal (AELJ) Blog

Last month, Tennessee broke legal ground by passing the Ensuring Likeness Voice and Image Security, or “ELVIS,” Act. This law amends the state’s existing publicity laws to include protections for an individual’s voice in general as well as specifically against artificial intelligence (AI) impersonation. The statute defines a voice as “a sound in a medium that is readily identifiable and attributable to a particular individual, regardless of whether the sound contains the actual voice or a simulation of the voice of the individual.” This standard shows a statutory expansion of legal protections for voices that blossomed with major cases in …

The Triumph Of Three Big Ideas In Fair Use Jurisprudence, Michael W. Carroll, Peter Jaszi

Scholarly Articles in Law Reviews & Journals

In two recent cases, Google LLC v. Oracle America, Inc. (“Google v. Oracle”), and Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts v. Goldsmith (“Warhol”), the Supreme Court ratified its 1994 holding that transformative use is the appropriate analytical framework for applying copyright law’s fair use provision. In doing so, the Court withstood significant pressure from industry participants in these cases to change course. This Article argues that the Court’s decisions, which represent one third of the Court’s total merits decisions on fair use, are historic. The principal contribution this Article makes is to demonstrate to courts and parties in future …

Aiming For Fairness: An Exploration Into Getty Images V. Stability Ai And Its Importance In The Landscape Of Modern Copyright Law, Matthew Coulter

DePaul Journal of Art, Technology & Intellectual Property Law

No abstract provided.

A Timeless Principle: Copyright Before The Statute Of Anne, Victoria Lieberman

DePaul Journal of Art, Technology & Intellectual Property Law

No abstract provided.

Innovation At A Crossroads: The Supreme Court's Influence On Pharmaceuticals, Trade Policies, And Public Health, Beau Reeves

DePaul Journal of Art, Technology & Intellectual Property Law

No abstract provided.

Beautifying The Human Experience: The Road To Knocking Out The Knockoff Industry Through Adaptions To Copyright & Design Patent Protections For Clothing, Moira Mccabe

DePaul Journal of Art, Technology & Intellectual Property Law

No abstract provided.

Can You Smell A Lawsuit Cooking? Possible Risks With The Rock’S Trademarks, Cameron Brody

Cardozo Arts & Entertainment Law Journal (AELJ) Blog

Dwayne Johnson is one of the most recognizable and successful working actors on the planet. For an entire generation, he is synonymous with smash-hit franchises such as Baywatch, Tooth Fairy, and Jungle Cruise. In fact, between 2019 and 2021, he was the highest-paid actor in Hollywood and raked in $270,000,000 in 2022 alone. Further, he is a co-founder of Teremana Tequila, which holds an estimated value of $3.5 billion, putting him on track alongside George Clooney and Ryan Reynolds as success stories in the celebrity alcohol market. His most recent endeavor, however, may put him on track towards a series …

Shades Of Green: Navigating The Legality Of Environmental Marketing, David Zack

Cardozo Arts & Entertainment Law Journal (AELJ) Blog

A majority of Americans are concerned about climate change.1 This fear seems to be a driver of consumer spending decisions. According to a study by PDI Technologies, 68% of Americans are willing to spend more on environmentally sustainable products than their competitors that are not sustainable.2 This number has steadily grown over the past two years.3 This figure is even greater for key marketing demographics. 77% of Gen Z, 72% of millennials, and 76% of parents would be willing to do so. Because of this, companies have increasingly sought to position and market themselves as green companies.

This post was …

Constitutional Rights Of Artificial Intelligence, Mizuki Hashiguchi

Washington Journal of Law, Technology & Arts

On February 8, 2022, the Italian Parliament approved constitutional amendments to protect the environment. A member of Parliament stated that the environment is an element of Italy, and that safeguarding the environment means safeguarding humans. The need to protect the environment seems to have become a critical component of public conscience. Likewise, if society perceives that artificial intelligence is vitally important for humanity, does constitutional law allow constitutional rights for artificial intelligence to be created?

Extending constitutional rights to artificial intelligence may be consistent with the jurisprudential history of rights. Constitutional rights have undergone metamorphosis over time to protect new …

Rembrandt’S Missing Piece: Ai Art And The Fallacies Of Copyright Law, Eleni Polymenopoulou

Washington Journal of Law, Technology & Arts

This article discusses contemporary problems related to Artificial Intelligence (AI), law and the visual arts. It suggests that the fallacies of copyright law are already visible in legal conundrums raised by AI in the creative sector. These include, for instance, the lack of uniformity in relation to creations’ copyrightability, the massive scale of copyright infringement affecting visual artists and the creative industry, and the difficulties in implementing media regulation and cyber-regulation. The deeply cherished ‘human authorship’ criterion that was sustained recently by a US Federal Appeals Court in Thaler, in particular, is a short-term solution to the legal challenges …

All Eyez On Rap & Hip-Hop: Analyzing How Black Expression Is Criminalized And The Language Of The Rap Act Of 2022, Maia Young

Washington Journal of Law, Technology & Arts

The Black existence, in the United States of America, has always been regarded as a conditional right. Conventionally, Blackness must always be nonviolent and non-disruptive to safely exist. Because of this, Blackness cannot be confined to restraints and disrupts these conventions with acts of joy and creative expression. Black creativity is both unconventional and sacred. Black creative expression documents, preserves, and unifies cultural lived experiences, from a first-hand lens of those oppressed. Creative and artistic expression celebrates the myriad of stories that are a part of the collective Black experience. Yet, Black creative expression is now being weaponized by prosecutors …

Unmasking Deepfakes: Navigating The Copyright Quagmire, Ben Gross

Cardozo Arts & Entertainment Law Journal (AELJ) Blog

In the ever-evolving landscape of digital technology, the emergence of deepfake technology has raised profound concerns, especially in the realm of copyright law. Deepfakes, sophisticated synthetic media created using artificial intelligence, can manipulate or replace existing content, often blurring the lines between reality and fiction.1 As these digital creations become more prevalent, questions surrounding their implications under copyright law have taken center stage.

This post was originally published on the Cardozo Arts & Entertainment Law Journal website on April 5, 2024. The original post can be accessed via the Archived Link button above.

Masthead

UC Law SF Communications and Entertainment Journal

No abstract provided.

Emojis: An Approach To Interpretation, Patricia Vilma Graham

UC Law SF Communications and Entertainment Journal

No abstract provided.

Has Ai Art Generated The Next Napster? Analyzing Civil And Criminal Liability For Prompt Marketplace Participants, Tyler Larson

UC Law SF Communications and Entertainment Journal

No abstract provided.

Reinventing The Silver Screen… Again: The Copyright Licensing Implications Of Using Video Game Technology For Virtual Production On Film And Tv Sets, Nicholas M. Medellin

UC Law SF Communications and Entertainment Journal

No abstract provided.

Art ©Aches, Richard H. Chused

Articles & Chapters

No abstract provided.

An Evolving Landscape: Name, Image, And Likeness Rights In High School Athletics, Adam Epstein --, Nathaniel Grow -- Associate Professor Of Business Law & Ethics, Kathryn Kisska-Schulze -- Assoc. Professor Of Business Law

Vanderbilt Law Review

Amateur sports have entered a changing landscape. The onset of Name, Image, and Likeness (“NIL”) opportunities at the college level has prompted over half of state high school athletic associations to likewise permit high school student-athletes to pursue similar financial opportunities. The purpose of this Essay is not to argue for or against the emergence of NIL opportunities at the high school level but instead to explore this newly evolving landscape, identify accompanying financial dangers, and propose a statutory framework that builds upon California’s Coogan’s Law—a measure providing financial safeguards to children working in the entertainment industry—to better protect minor …

Downstreaming, Rachel Landy

Articles

Spotify and its competitors all offer the same product at the same price. Why? Scholars have argued that relationships can be designed in a way that naturally promotes innovation. By “braiding” certain formal contracting practices with informal enforcement norms, parties develop a frame-work that supports trust and positive, long-term collaboration. This Article takes on this consensus and shows that not all braiding is good. Using the multibillion-dollar subscription music streaming business as an illustration, it demonstrates just how industry forces can, and do, overcome braiding’s positive slant. In that industry, the major record labels (Universal, Warner, and Sony) weaponize braiding …

Key Players: How Ip Lawyers Drive Successful M&A Integration, Eddie Halwani

Cardozo Arts & Entertainment Law Journal (AELJ) Blog

In the dynamic world of mergers and acquisitions (“M&A”), intellectual property (“IP”) lawyers have proven essential in navigating the web of IP rights and obligations throughout the transaction process. As companies increasingly look to acquire new strategic levers, the expertise of these specialized lawyers has become invaluable, helping to ensure the validity of intangible assets and mitigating potential risks involved.

This post was originally published on the Cardozo Arts & Entertainment Law Journal website on March 28, 2024. The original post can be accessed via the Archived Link button above.

From Punchlines To Pesto To Prada: Exploring Intellectual Property’S Negative Space, Michael Ecker

Cardozo Arts & Entertainment Law Journal (AELJ) Blog

Intellectual property (“IP”) law serves as the protective cornerstone for the creative industries—an especially important one at a time when unprecedented global connectivity links so many and in the process, so greatly heightens the potential for improper takings. Yet, a growing body of legal scholarship delves into a fascinating counterpoint: the “negative space” of IP. As Kal Raustiala and Christopher Sprigman posit in their Article, The Piracy Paradox, these creative endeavors “remain creative (and consequently do not require protection) precisely because they exhibit positionality sufficiently strong that it provokes a constant stream of new innovation.” This space encompasses creative fields …

Copyright Law And Ai, Cardozo Intellectual Property Law Society (Ipls), Cardozo Art Law Society

2023–2024 Flyers

No abstract provided.

Is The Future Private? A Look Into Litigation Under Illinois’S “Bipa” Law, Paige Green

Cardozo Arts & Entertainment Law Journal (AELJ) Blog

At Meta’s 2019 “F8” virtual development conference, Mark Zuckerberg stood in front of a presentation screen displaying the words, “the future is private.” Zuckerberg’s talking points centered on “build[ing] a more privacy-focused social media platform.” Increasing Meta’s focus on privacy, apparently, does not include ensuring compliance with Illinois’s Biometric Information Privacy Act (“BIPA”). While not exactly the first of its kind, a recent class action lawsuit against Meta alleges the company violated Illinois’s BIPA law by capturing, retaining, and profiting from the use of plaintiff’s “voiceprint” without disclosing or creating a meaningful retention policy for doing so.

This post was …

Study, Chill, Stream Lofi, And Repeat: From A Passion Project To A Recent Target Of Large Corporate Music Publishers, Lauren Woods

Cardozo Arts & Entertainment Law Journal (AELJ) Blog

Ask yourself: what does the perfect workspace look and feel like? The answer varies from person to person. Some people prefer to work in crowded cafes, while others need complete silence. The concern became even more relevant during the height of the coronavirus pandemic, when many individuals were working remotely. As it does with many things, the internet came to our rescue and provided us with creative ways to yield efficiency. To spice up your WFH office arrangement, it provides different sources of background music that can help tune out distractions, regulate stress, increase productivity, and even improve sleep. YouTube, …

International Fans Crafting Fan Merchandise For U.S. Musicians: A Trademark Infringement Danger Zone, Gabriella Fernandez

Cardozo Arts & Entertainment Law Journal (AELJ) Blog

In the early 2010s, the term “fandom” gained popularity among teenagers who were deeply devoted to their favorite musicians. The term “fandom” refers to communities of fans who come together through social media to express their shared admiration for a particular artist. When individuals unite to celebrate their mutual love for a musician, a genuine sense of connection and community is established. Through discussions about their shared passion for the artist, they often discover common interests and experiences that go beyond the music, fostering authentic friendships.

This post was originally published on the Cardozo Arts & Entertainment Law Journal website …

Tik Tok And Universal Music Group’S Licensing Battle, Sara Casey

Cardozo Arts & Entertainment Law Journal (AELJ) Blog

A month-long standoff between Universal Music Group (“UMG”) and TikTok persists after combative licensing negotiations have continuously failed. This stalemate led to the removal of UMG’s music from the platform on February 1, 2024, silencing thousands of videos featuring UMG’s music and, in turn, drastically reducing content creators’ music options for new clips. The effects of the broken partnership have materialized, but the extent of the fallout is unclear, as some videos using UMG recordings appeared to be unaffected, while others, such as those featuring tracks by UMG artists Taylor Swift and Drake, have been silenced, accompanied by the statement …

Cardozo Aelj Author Interview Series: Aman K. Gebru, Ivana Petani

Cardozo Arts & Entertainment Law Journal (AELJ) Blog

Aman K. Gebru is an Assistant Professor at the University of Houston Law Center, where he teaches courses on contracts and intellectual property law. Professor Gebru’s research examines issues at the intersection of intellectual property law, innovation policy, and knowledge governance from domestic and global perspectives. His recent projects examine how intellectual property laws deal with collectively developed creative expression, such as memes, dance crazes, hackathons, and indigenous (traditional) expression.

This post was originally published on the Cardozo Arts & Entertainment Law Journal website on March 14, 2024. The original post can be accessed via the Archived Link button above.

Communal Authorship, Aman K. Gebru

University of Richmond Law Review

A literary or artistic expression created by an individual author fits neatly in the copyright system. Many of the rules were developed with the sole author and a distinct work in mind. Given this start, copyright law struggles to govern expressions generated by teams. But even in such scenarios, joint authorship rules, which were developed relatively recently, have addressed complicated ownership questions. In contrast to solo- and team-authored works, the copyright system fails in a third category, what this Article labels “communal authorship.” This Article describes communal authorship as a subset of mass-authored works having the key features of numerosity, …

Calculating The Harms Of Political Use Of Popular Music, Jake Linford, Aaron Perzanowski

Articles

When Donald Trump descended the escalator of Trump Tower to announce his 2016 presidential bid, Neil Young’s “Rockin’ in the Free World” blared from the loudspeakers. Almost immediately, Young’s management made clear that the campaign’s use of the song was unauthorized. Neil Young was not alone. Trump drew similar objections from dozens of artists during his first two presidential bids. But as a matter of copyright law, it is unclear whether artists can prevent their songs from being played at campaign rallies.

Cardozo Aelj Author Interview Series: Matthew J. Mitten, Ivana Petani

Cardozo Arts & Entertainment Law Journal (AELJ) Blog

Matthew J. Mitten is the Professor of Law and Executive Director of the National Sports Law Institute at Marquette University Law School. Professor Mitten is a leading sports law scholar and has testified before a U.S. Congressional joint subcommittee, the Senate Judiciary Committee, and the Senate Commerce Committee, as well as the Knight Commission on Intercollegiate Athletics, on college sports law issues.

This post was originally published on the Cardozo Arts & Entertainment Law Journal website on February 27, 2024. The original post can be accessed via the Archived Link button above.