News

A Win for Visual Artists in the Copyright Battle Against AI Art Generators

By Daniel Jason Ain and Ariana Zhao Tensions between creators and artificial intelligence (“AI”) companies continue to run high, fueling ongoing litigation.[1]  In the latest win for creators, a class of visual artists survived a motion to dismiss their copyright infringement claims.[2] Last year, our colleagues wrote about the copyright...

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After Building a Lifetime of Creative Works, What is the Best Way to Leave a Legacy for Your Family?

When you are a creative person, your creations are called “intellectual property.”  In order to protect one’s creations, whether literary works, music or art, most people diligently safeguard their intellectual property rights via copyrights, trademarks, patents, etc.  Yet, many people do not think to consider what happens to these rights...

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Copyright Issues as they Pertain to AI and the Visual Arts: Let Us Paint You a Picture

By: Ethan Krasnoo and Anna Beckelman As artificial intelligence (“AI”) becomes more and more prevalent in our everyday use of technology, legal questions are being raised about how AI products are “trained” and how such training may encroach on “human generated” intellectual property. Earlier this year, our Reavis Page Jump...

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Skating Over Copyright Law

Move over Beethoven and Tchaikovsky. After the Sochi Winter Olympic Games in 2014, the International Skating Union changed its rules in figure skating competitions to allow figure skaters to skate to music with lyrics to appeal to younger audiences who tune in to watch the Olympics (goodbye Swan Lake!). Now...

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Ace Ventura v. Joe Exotic

Nothing defined life in the time of COVID quite like Tiger King and, quite like COVID, we are still talking about Tiger King nearly two years later.  On Christmas Eve, the production company behind Ace Ventura: When Nature Calls sued Netflix and the producers of Tiger King for copyright infringement...

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Intellectual Property Update: As Predicted, Copyright Office Denies the “Carlton” Copyright Registration and Raises Ownership Questions

Recent developments in the copyright infringement lawsuit brought by Alfonso Ribeiro, known for playing Carlton on The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, against video game maker Epic Games confirm the questions raised in my prior post as to whether Ribeiro could register a copyright in the Carlton dance and bring a...

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Can I Copyright My Funky Dance Moves? Ask Intellectual Property Attorney Larry Brocchini

The recent filing of a federal copyright infringement lawsuit by Alfonso Ribeiro—“Carlton” on The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air and YouTube celebrity, famous for "the Carlton,” his arm-swinging movements to the Tom Jones diddy "It’s Not Unusual"—raises the question of whether and to what extent choreographed dance moves can by copyrighted...

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December 2018 New York Entertainment and Media Legal Highlights Concerning Reposting Instagram Photographs, Reselling of MP3s, and Defamation Claims Based on Movie Characters  

As summarized below, in December 2018 the New York Federal courts handed down three significant opinions relevant to entertainment and media professionals. Court Finds Hearst Engaged in Copyright Infringement by Reposting a Photograph Taken from Instagram The District Court for the Southern District of New York ruled that Hearst Communications...

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Watch Part 5 of RPJ Partner Mark H. Moore’s Expert Series on Software Copyright Protection with AltaClaro

In its latest Expert Series, AltaClaro features RPJ Partner Mark H. Moore discussing how companies can use copyright law to protect their software. Released on July 20, Part 5 of the 5-part video series highlights some of the practical tactics and considerations for effective enforcement of a company's software copyrights. Watch “Use Copyright Law to Protect...

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