Intellectual Property Law Commons^™

Masthead

Journal of Law, Technology, & the Internet

No abstract provided.

Towards Financial Inclusion Through Digital Financial Services: Examining The Impact Of The ‘Notice And Consent’ Privacy Mechanism, Arvin Kristopher Razon

Journal of Law, Technology, & the Internet

No abstract provided.

Quantum Machine Learning: A Patent Review, Brian S. Haney

Journal of Law, Technology, & the Internet

One of the central problems bottlenecking machine learning research is classical computational power limits. Quantum computing provides a solution, offering more processing power for less electric cost. Quantum Machine Learning (QML) is a research field at the intersection of quantum computing and machine learning technologies, driving the cutting edge in technological innovation. While the legal literature on software patents is rapidly scaling, the research focused on QML patents is noticeably nascent. As such, this Article contributes the first empirical patent survey for QML technologies.

Virtues And Perils Of Algorithmic Enforcement And Content Regulation In The Eu - A Toolkit For A Balanced Algorithmic Copyright Enforcement, Maria Lillà Mongnani

Journal of Law, Technology, & the Internet

Within the recent European policies and actions on illegal content, a trend towards the algorithmic enforcement of content regulation has emerged. Hard and soft law provisions are more or less explicitly requiring online platforms to resort to technological systems in order to comply with the law. The use of technology to enforce the law is certainly not new, especially in the realm of copyright law. The last step in this process is the employment of algorithmic systems to filter content uploaded by third parties and the use of autonomous decision-making to select the content that can appear online. This controversial …

Brief Of Amicus Curiae Professor Jorge L. Contreras In Support Of Appellee And Affirmance In Ftc V. Qualcomm, Jorge L. Contreras

Utah Law Faculty Scholarship

Qualcomm participated in the development of 3G and 4G wireless telecommunication standards under the auspices of two SDOs, the Telecommunications Industry Association (“TIA”) and the Alliance for Telecommunications Industry Solutions (“ATIS”). Each of these SDOs had adopted intellectual property rights policies (IPR Policies) that required their participants to grant licenses of SEPs to implementers of their standards on FRAND terms. Yet, over the course of several years, Qualcomm refused to license its SEPs to numerous actual and potential modem chip rivals including MediaTek, Project Dragonfly (a joint venture of NTT DoCoMo, Samsung and several Japanese manufacturers), Samsung, VIA Telecom, Intel, …

Fair Use, The Internet Age, And Rulifying The Blogosphere, Michael Goodyear

Articles & Chapters

The fair use analysis in copyright law is, at present, a confusing and sometimes contradictory entanglement of four factors whose outcome is not guaranteed until it comes before a court ex post. Despite the four factors being listed as clearly delineated points in § 107, in reality, these factors have substantial overlap and courts have provided contradictory rulings even in the same circuit. This article builds on the earlier suggestions of Niva Elkin-Koren and Orit Fischman-Afori in suggesting rulification of fair use in specific creative contexts to better distinguish the legal standards for fair use for the population at large. …

A New Standard For Right Of Publicity Protection For Statistics In The Era Of Daily Fantasy Sports And Legalized Sports Betting - A Critique Of Daniels V. Fanduel And A Revival Of An Economic-Based Rationale To Protect Athletes' Property Rights, Mark Conrad

Cardozo Arts & Entertainment Law Journal

The Indiana Supreme Court's unanimous decision in Daniels v. FanDuel, addressing whether the use of an athlete 's name and statistical information is subject to a right ofpublicity, has the potential to serve as a persuasive precedent-and formidable obstacle-in future sportsrelated legal matters. Specifically, in rejecting the plaintiff's claim, the court ruled that publicly available statistical information used in a daily fantasy sports game is protected speech under a statutory "newsworthy value" exemption found in the state's right of publicity law. The panel also determined that the use of athletes'names and images are protected as well. On the surface, …

Breaking With Convention: The Conceptual Failings Of Scènes À Faire, Robert Kirk Walker

Cardozo Arts & Entertainment Law Journal

According to the scenes a faire doctrine, the standard or stock elements in an expressive work cannot, by themselves, support a copyright infringement claim. Like the idea/expression dichotomy and the merger doctrine, scenes a faire is intended to limit the scope of what authors may claim as their exclusive property and, in doing so, to promote the continued health of the public domain. Just as you can't hold copyright in an idea, you also can't copyright a standard dramatic convention or literary device. However unlike its doctrinal siblings, scenes a faire has received little attention from legal scholars, and courts …

Copyright Issues With The "Black Hole" Image And Their Legal Implications, Yahong Li

Cardozo Arts & Entertainment Law Journal

The release of the world'sfirst-ever black hole image generated an immediate copyright dispute and revealed multiple copyright issues that remain unsettled This Article argues that the black hole image should be left in the public domain without copyright protection for the following reasons: First, the image 's copyrightability and copyright ownership are too uncertain to warrant legal protection, making fair use and compulsory licensing largely irrelevant; second, the image is a work of worldwide significance that was created through broad international collaboration with substantial public funding, which strongly implies a public interest in access to the work; and third, a …

The Fine Art Of Rummaging: Successors And The Life Cycle Of Copyright, Eva E. Subotnik

Faculty Publications

This chapter argues that a possible justification for the extension of copyright beyond the death of the author is the key role that copyright successors may serve in the life cycle of artistic works. In particular, with respect to an artist’s unpublished work, a time-sensitive decision must be made about whether or not to keep the physical artifacts associated with copyrights—an obligation that often falls to these successors. Bulky canvases, sketches, negatives, and myriad other items must be sifted through in order to separate the wheat from the chaff. In this way, the post-death cleanup period offers a once-in-a-lifetime event …

Misappropriation-Based Trademark Liability In Comparative Perspective, Jeremy N. Sheff

Faculty Publications

(Excerpt)

The anti-misappropriation principle, at its core, is that it is wrongful and therefore actionable for a competitor to gain a commercial advantage from the efforts of another, even if that advantage does not directly harm the person whose efforts have been misappropriated. This principle appears to be a deep theoretical commitment of modern intellectual property law. And nowhere in intellectual property law is the anti-misappropriation impulse more directly implicated than in the context of conspicuous consumption.

As I have written about elsewhere, modern consumers engage in conspicuous consumption of branded goods to signal social affiliation and identity, and to …

Puff, Puff, Patent: Identifying And Addressing The Tensions Between The Medical Marijuana Industry, Patent Law, And The Controlled Substances Act, Dustin Boone

Cardozo Arts & Entertainment Law Journal

No abstract provided.

Why Can't We All Just Cher?: Drag Celebrity Impersonators Versus An Ever-Expanding Right Of Publicity, Emily Hoenig

Cardozo Arts & Entertainment Law Journal

No abstract provided.

Legal Graffiti And Copyright: How The Law Falls Short In Protecting This Important Artform, Kayla Epstein

Cardozo Arts & Entertainment Law Journal

The note argues that copyright law inadequately protects legal graffiti artists, particularly due to the abstract and public nature of their work, which complicates infringement claims. It critiques the current legal framework, including the tests for substantial similarity and the idea-expression dichotomy, for disadvantaging graffiti artists. The analysis highlights the need for legal reforms, such as the use of expert witnesses and enhanced protections under the DMCA, to better safeguard graffiti art and align copyright law with its purpose of incentivizing creativity.

Unpacking Trump's Brand Value: The Cost To Secured Creditors, Xuan-Thao Nguyen

Cardozo Arts & Entertainment Law Journal

No abstract provided.

Governing The Patent Commons, Dirk Auer, Julian Morris

Cardozo Arts & Entertainment Law Journal

Thousands of patents underpin the technologies that power the digital economy. Coordination among firms developing and implementing these novel technologies has notably been facilitated in large part by Standards Developing Organizations (SDOs). Despite the evident benefits of standardization in general and SDOs in particular, certain aspects of these processes have come under severe scrutiny from scholars, antitrust authorities, and courts. These critics argue that the standardization space suffers from two crippling market failures, namely "patent holdup" and "royalty stacking." They thus conclude that opportunistic firms will squeeze their rivals 'profits, harming consumers and stifling innovation in the process. However, recent …

Copyright Infringement Standards As They Relate To Appropriation Artists, Kimberly Pallen

Cardozo Arts & Entertainment Law Journal

The article examines the application of the "total concept and feel" test established in Roth Greeting Cards v. United Card Co. to determine copyright infringement, particularly in cases involving appropriation artists like Jeff Koons and Richard Prince. It argues that while this test is effective for analyzing substantial similarity in visual arts, it faces limitations when applied to appropriation art, where the original work's mood or feel is not significantly altered. The article highlights the subjective nature of the test and its reliance on visual comparison, which may not adequately address the transformative aspects of appropriation art.

One Consumer’S Trash Is Another’S Treasure: Upcycling’S Place In Trademark Law, Jolie Brett Schenerman

Cardozo Arts & Entertainment Law Journal

The note argues that upcycling, the process of creating new, high-value products from salvaged materials, should be protected under trademark law's fair use doctrine. It contends that upcycling, unlike traditional infringement, does not confuse consumers about the source of goods and instead creates transformative works that benefit both sustainability and brand relevance. The analysis draws parallels between upcycling and parody, advocating for similar legal protections, and highlights the evolving relationship between luxury brands and upcyclers, from litigation to collaboration.

Fair Use Factor Four Revisited: Valuing The "Value Of The Copyrighted Work", Jane C. Ginsburg

Faculty Scholarship

Recent caselaw has restored the prominence of the fourth statutory factor – “the effect of the use upon the market for or value of the copyrighted work” – in the fair use analysis. The revitalization of the inquiry should also occasion renewed reflection on its meaning. As digital media bring to the fore new or previously under-examined kinds of harm, courts not only need to continue refining their appreciation of a work’s markets. They must also expand their analyses beyond the traditional inquiry into whether the challenged use substitutes for an actual or potential market for the work. Courts should …

Beyond The Marrakesh Vip Treaty: Typology Of Copyright Access-Enabling Provisions For Persons With Disabilities, Caroline B. Ncube, Blake E. Reid, Desmond O. Oriakhogba

Publications

This paper builds upon the evidence drawn from a scoping study on access to copyright works by persons with disabilities. It identifies and discusses specific access‐enabling technologies for persons with aural, cognitive, physical, and visual disabilities and how they are affected by the exercise of exclusive rights. It shows how, and the extent to which states' ratification of the Marrakesh Treaty to Facilitate Access to Published Works for Persons Who Are Blind, Visually Impaired, or Otherwise Print Disabled (Marrakesh Treaty) has enabled the making of accessible format of copyright works for persons with disabilities. To this end, the paper examines …

Internet Architecture And Disability, Blake E. Reid

Publications

The Internet is essential for education, employment, information, and cultural and democratic participation. For tens of millions of people with disabilities in the United States, barriers to accessing the Internet—including the visual presentation of information to people who are blind or visually impaired, the aural presentation of information to people who are deaf or hard of hearing, and the persistence of Internet technology, interfaces, and content without regard to prohibitive cognitive load for people with cognitive and intellectual disabilities—collectively pose one of the most significant civil rights issues of the information age. Yet disability law lacks a comprehensive theoretical approach …

Achieving An Equitable Transition To Open Access For Researchers In Lower And Middle-Income Countries, Andrea Powell, Rob Johnson, Rachel Herbert

Copyright, Fair Use, Scholarly Communication, etc.

Introduction

The origins of this White Paper can be traced to a discussion started in mid-2019 between a number of scholarly publishers and the Publisher Coordinator for Research4Life (a role that is supported financially by the STM Association). These interlocutors voiced concern that while the publishing and research communities in the developed world were making steady and positive progress towards universal Open Access based on a ‘pay to publish’ model, those same communities in the less developed lower and middle-income countries (often referred to as the “Global South”) were being excluded from these discussions. Following discussions at the STM Board …

The Trust Principles For Digital Repositories, Dawei Lin, Jonathan Crabtree, Ingrid Dillo, Robert R. Downs, Rorie Edmunds, David Giaretta, Marisa De Giusti, Hervé L'Hours, Wim Hugo, Reyna Jenkyns, Varsha Khodiyar, Maryann E. Martone, Mustapha Mokrane, Vivek Navale, Jonathan Petters, Barbara Sierman, Dina V. Sokolova, Martina Stockhause, John Westbrook

Copyright, Fair Use, Scholarly Communication, etc.

As information and communication technology has become pervasive in our society, we are increasingly dependent on both digital data and repositories that provide access to and enable the use of such resources. Repositories must earn the trust of the communities they intend to serve and demonstrate that they are reliable and capable of appropriately managing the data they hold.

Following a year-long public discussion and building on existing community consensus , several stakeholders, representing various segments of the digital repository community, have collaboratively developed and endorsed a set of guiding principles to demonstrate digital repository trustworthiness. Transparency, Responsibility, User focus, …

The Harmonization Myth In International Intellectual Property Law, Sarah R. Wasserman Rajec

Faculty Publications

There is a dominant narrative in international intellectual property ("IP") law of ever-increasing harmonization. This narrative has been deployed in ways descriptive, prescriptive, and instrumental: approximating the historical trend, providing justification, and establishing the path forward. Appeals to harmonization are attractive. They evoke a worldwide partnership and shared sacrifice to meet the goals of innovation and access to technology through certainty, efficiency, and increased competition through lowered trade barriers. Countries with strong IP protections consistently and successfully tout the importance of certainty and lower trade barriers when seeking new and stronger protections from countries with lower levels of protection. Yet …

Artificial Intelligence And Copyright Law In Singapore A Study On The Protection Of Compilations And Databases Arranged By Ai-Systems, Sella Say

Chulalongkorn University Theses and Dissertations (Chula ETD)

While the capability of artificial intelligence ("AI") gains remarkable momentum in creating copyrightable materials – the questions regarding the eligibility of these new creations, at the moment, are broadly discussed and posed challenges to the regime. The problem of how we fit the conventional notion of authorship and the condition of originality for AI-generated works remains a controversial topic. Some might suggest that subject matter created by AI should not be granted copyright protection on the presumption that AI is not a human who could treat as authors of works. At the same time, other supportive claims that the first …

The Supreme Court Bar At The Bar Of Patents, Paul Gugliuzza

Faculty Scholarship

Over the past two decades, a few dozen lawyers have come to dominate practice before the U.S. Supreme Court. By many accounts, these elite lawyers—whose clients are often among the largest corporations in the world—have spurred the Court to hear more cases that businesses care about and to decide those cases in favor of their clients. The Supreme Court’s recent case law on antitrust, arbitration, punitive damages, class actions, and more provides copious examples.
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/="/">Though it is often overlooked in discussions of the emergent Supreme Court bar, patent law is another area in which the Court’s agenda has …

Secret Algorithms, Ip Rights, And The Public Interest, Meghan J. Ryan

Faculty Journal Articles and Book Chapters

The secrecy surrounding the algorithms that play a central role in American life today is proving to have alarming effects. Judges and juries are convicting defendants based on secret evidence. Major advertisers like Facebook are discriminating against minorities seeking housing. And Russians may very well be hacking our voting machines to change election outcomes. The algorithm secrecy underlying these results obscures whether such legal outcomes are actually accurate and fair or whether they were based on faulty evidence, affected by bias, or manipulated by outside influences. These are just a handful of the public-interest perils of algorithm secrecy. This Article …

Patent Eligibility And Investment, David O. Taylor

Faculty Journal Articles and Book Chapters

Have the Supreme Court’s recent patent eligibility cases changed the behavior of venture capital and private equity investment firms, and if so how? This Article provides empirical data about investors’ answers to those important questions. Analyzing responses to a survey of 475 investors at firms investing in various industries and at various stages of funding, this Article explores how the Court’s recent cases have influenced these firms’ decisions to invest in companies developing technology. The survey results reveal investors’ overwhelming belief that patent eligibility is an important consideration in investment decisionmaking, and that reduced patent eligibility makes it less likely …

The Procedural Foundations Of Intellectual Property Information Regulation, Ira Steven Nathenson

Lewis & Clark Law Review

In the academy, legal scholarship on intellectual property, or “IP,” abounds, most of it focusing on the substance of IP. Far less, however, is written about the procedural aspects of IP. This Article focuses on the often-ignored proce- dural foundations of IP and suggests—at a minimum—that procedure so thoroughly pervades IP that IP’s true foundations might be in procedure rather than substance. Considering “IP as procedure” may further allow us to recog- nize that IP procedures may need to be reconceptualized within a broader field of information regulation procedures.

I. II.

Against Progress: Interventions About Equality In Supreme Court Cases About Copyright Law, Jessica Silbey

Faculty Scholarship

This symposium essay is adapted from my forthcoming book Against Progress: Intellectual Property and Fundamental Values in the Internet Age (Stanford University Press 2021 forthcoming). The book’s primary argument is that, with the rise of digital technology and the ubiquity of the internet, intellectual property law is becoming a mainstream part of law and culture. This mainstreaming of IP has particular effects, one of which is the surfacing of on-going debates about “progress of science and the useful arts,” which is the constitutional purpose of intellectual property rights.

In brief, Against Progress describes how in the 20th century intellectual property …