Is an MLB Mascot About to Change Hollywood’s Future? — “Many years later, after the Phanatic became very popular, both sides would dispute the amount of creative direction that the team had given Erickson, but what became important was how Harrison/Erickson obtained a registration from the Copyright Office by calling the Phanatic costume an ‘artistic sculpture.’ Then, attempting to leverage the termination provisions of the Copyright Act, which allows authors to reclaim newer works after 35 years, Harrison/Erickson attempted to grab back rights. In a suit, the team raised all sorts of theories why copyright termination was invalid, and before the termination became effective, the Phillies made some alterations to the Phanatic to the confusion and ire of its fan base.”
Unicolors Case Presents the Supreme Court With an Opportunity to Reinforce the Foundations of the Copyright Registration System — “Months into the litigation, after you’ve spent a considerable amount on legal fees and a tremendous amount of time preparing for litigation—time you could have spent creating new works and taking care of other business responsibilities—the infringer challenges the validity of your registration based on an error that appears in the registration. The error was an honest mistake on your part as to the legal interpretation of the date of publication. Even though the defendant clearly infringed your work, they found a loophole and they were able to invalidate your registration on a technicality. The scenario may sound far-fetched and unfair, but it’s what the Supreme Court could open the door to if it rules in favor of a similarly opportunistic defendant in Unicolors v. H&M.”
Apple Drops iPhone Copyright Lawsuit Against Cyber Startup Corellium — “Back in August 2019, Apple accused Corellium of both violating its copyright and breaching the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA) by creating ‘virtualized’ versions of the iPhone. Corellium had caused a stir in the security community in 2018 when Forbes revealed its plans to allow researchers to spin up iPhones on their laptops to start probing iOS for security weaknesses or usability flaws.”
‘WHYYYYYY?’: Police Upset Idiot Colleague Played Taylor Swift to Trigger YouTube Filter — “In at least four instances, this move has backfired by drawing massive attention to the offending cop, leading all of us to wonder what the hell they were thinking. Now, we know that the officers’ colleagues are thinking the same. New emails and documents obtained by Motherboard through a Freedom of Information Act request show that Shelby’s superiors and colleagues in the Alameda County Police Department were pissed and embarrassed by his attempt at censoring the public—and it was such a debacle, they revised rules for officers about they can use cell phones on duty. “