Questions tagged [copyright]
For questions about the property right statutorily granted to creative works. Please see the tag wiki and FAQ before asking the question.
2,815
questions
-2
votes
3
answers
102
views
Copyrighted Music, Personal Use, and not-for-profit Video Games?
I am creating a video game that is open-source and will be distributed for free (i.e. not-for-profit) on itch.io.
I would like to use a copyrighted song as part of the background music.
My question is,...
- 15
-7
votes
1
answer
97
views
Is it legal to create a website that freely provides the contents of books which are another company's IP? [closed]
This question is rather specific. I am a fan of the tabletop roleplaying game 'Call of Cthulhu' by Chaosium Inc., but find since it isn't hugely popular that there aren't enough easily accessible ...
- 11
-2
votes
0
answers
15
views
Making an App pertaining to a Commercial Business's Name [closed]
I want to make an map app of the Indiana State Fair to publish to Google Play. An app for the fair already exists, but I would like to make a different one from scratch. The app name would be ...
- 1
7
votes
1
answer
103
views
Digidyne v. Data General: how does this not legally protect Apple macOS running on non-Apple branded hardware?
I was just reading https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Data_General_RDOS#Antitrust_lawsuit which discusses Digidyne v. Data General:
When Data General introduced the Data General Nova, a company called ...
- 171
3
votes
2
answers
129
views
Is distributing software that makes modifications to video games legal?
Unlike most game mods (which are, to my knowledge, a distribution of a copy of modified game software), I'm writing a small desktop application which allows users to make their own custom changes (...
2
votes
2
answers
2k
views
Can artists file for plagiarism if their art is used in AI models to make AI art, given that there is proof they're the authors of their work?
(I am an IT student writing a report proposing using blockchain technology to attribute "art" files, used in AI models, to their authors. I know next to nothing about copyright laws for ...
- 29
0
votes
1
answer
87
views
Are old school logos under copyright?
I wanted to use a school logo on my website. This is an example of one (which is a private school) and here is another (a public school).
Wikipedia says that they are both no longer in copyright. But ...
- 101
3
votes
1
answer
75
views
Use of copyrighted material for creating a commercial product
In a hypothetical scenario, Mr. Peter writes a book about tree types in a certain geographical area. He creates a commercial products. Can he use another commercial product that is copyrighted, e.g. a ...
- 175
0
votes
1
answer
68
views
NBA data for commercial purposes
I'm planning to create a paid subscription service with some data gathered from nba.com.
There are public APIs from nba.com where I'm gathering the data but there is one specific from https://www.nba....
- 3
4
votes
1
answer
68
views
Is an image published in a book in Australia in 1925 public domain in the US?
I want to use an art image that was published in Australia in 1925 and publish it in the US.
Australian copyright law states that the image is protected for 70 years after the artist's death, who died ...
- 41
1
vote
1
answer
29
views
copyrighted material used by a commercial entity [closed]
Can a copyrighted material be used by a company employees if it is not a part of a commercial product?
- 175
7
votes
1
answer
2k
views
Can a song be used in a presentation for work?
Does it fall under that Fair Use Act of 1976 to include a song as the intro to a presentation for work if the presentation is being given for educational/teaching purposes?
- 173
-1
votes
0
answers
45
views
photographers taking pictures where backgroud has other company logo? can it be fair use?
For example, take a picture of event, where background has some computers/laptops, then Dell and Apple logo can see from the photos. Can we claim that the logos of Dell and Apple are being fair use in ...
- 495
0
votes
0
answers
51
views
What does "derived from" mean in copyright? [duplicate]
In copyright law the right to create a derivative work is restricted to the copyright holder. The definition of derivative work from the US Copyright office seems a little circular:
A derivative ...
- 4,135
0
votes
0
answers
28
views
Replicating Font Awesome duotone icons
Font Awesome Pro has a lot of icons that are just the same as the free versions but with two colors instead of one. My question is if I manually change the free versions to look like the pro versions, ...
- 111
1
vote
1
answer
115
views
Who owns the copyright in this case?
As a layman interested in the law, I'm facing a bit of a conundrum posed by my cousin.
Here are the facts:
A records company, M Ltd, has created (e.g. written code for, trained etc.) an AI that can ...
- 835
5
votes
1
answer
67
views
Copyright implications of dismissing Individual and Representative Plaintiffs v. Github Inc, Microsoft Inc, OpenAI (et al.) on derived LLMs
"Individual and Representative Plaintiffs v. GITHUB, INC., a Delaware corporation;
MICROSOFT CORPORATION, a Washington corporation; OPENAI, INC., a Delaware nonprofit corporation; [...]" is ...
- 53
2
votes
0
answers
30
views
Can I republish my derivative work using a new license?
Some background: the System Reference Document 5.1 ("SRD5") is an original work owned by Wizards of the Coast ("WotC"). WotC currently authorizes derivative works of SRD5 using two ...
- 21
-1
votes
0
answers
25
views
Can I use the names and characters of Pokémon in my YouTube video? [duplicate]
I am making a YouTube series teaching people how to program using Pokémon references to help others understand. Will I be allowed to use Pokémon characters and names in my YouTube videos. Are there ...
0
votes
1
answer
59
views
Ownership/reuse of custom content purchased from online performers [closed]
I'm thinking of doing a project where I pay onlyfans creators/cam performers for custom voice/video recordings. In this case I don't actually want the content to be sexual in nature - not that it ...
- 21
1
vote
0
answers
26
views
Registering for copyright under a pen name
I am working on registering my book for copyright but am trying to keep my legal name out of it. How does one file a copyright for a book and only register it under said pen name?
- 11
1
vote
0
answers
35
views
Where is the line between patentable algorithms and copyrightable creative expression in software?
My understanding is that algorithms are protected by patents, and creative expression is protected by copyright. This could be illustrated by the following hypothetical:
Suppose a company releases a ...
- 4,135
22
votes
4
answers
8k
views
Why is Star Wars a copyright issue but a MLB team is not? [duplicate]
Over the weekend, I was asked to be part of a photo shoot for a political candidate. I was wearing a t-shirt that featured a Star Wars character and the photographer stated that he wanted to position ...
- 2,095
3
votes
1
answer
35
views
Copyright and the consitution regarding promotion
The US constitution provides copyright protection for the works of authors. Specifically, "To promote the progress of science and useful arts".
If I were to create a work, and after a few ...
- 1,237
0
votes
1
answer
77
views
Taking pictures of book
In my textbooks there is computer code. I want to take pictures of the pages where the code is contained and and convert those images to text in order to run the code. Is it legal to run the code in ...
2
votes
2
answers
62
views
Musical video production [closed]
I paid a video man to film a lady dancer and myself in a hotel dancing to my new music to be released. I wrote the lyrics, composed, recorded and sang it myself. He signed a contract with the hotel ...
- 21
2
votes
1
answer
25
views
Can you charge for the ability to annotate texts which you are using it under a non-commercial license, where you still show the text for free?
Say a bible text is released with a creative commons non-commercial license (can't use for commercial purposes). Say I then publish that text and make it freely available under the same license, so ...
- 789
1
vote
1
answer
64
views
How can you make a fresh new translation of the bible without running into copyright problems?
I have been looking for open source versions of the bible written in Hebrew, with annotations, such as the literal english meaning of each Hebrew term, the definition of each Hebrew term, the part of ...
- 789
1
vote
0
answers
46
views
Using images and text from 19th century magazines [duplicate]
I'd like to use images and text from 19th century periodicals, magazinesand books on youtube and social media etc. They are sourced from Internet archive and smithsonian archive. I'm wondering are ...
- 19
13
votes
8
answers
5k
views
Why do blatant copyright infringements not get prosecuted?
I feel like everywhere you go you'll see copyright infringement. When I open social media, people post copyrighted videos and photos all the time. I suppose I'm assuming they've not got permission - ...
- 135
0
votes
1
answer
73
views
Is it legal to sell photographs of a publicly displayed artwork without the creator's permission? (UK) [duplicate]
A person A creates 3D dioramas, which they display publicly outside their shop. These are displayed on a temporary basis, replaced by new dioramas every few months. Is it legal for a second person B ...
- 181
5
votes
1
answer
2k
views
Copyright on commercial image from the 1930s (UK)
I want to use a railway poster from the 1930s in publicity for a play, but the Science Museum wants a fee for it, claiming copyright (https://collection.sciencemuseumgroup.org.uk/objects/co231218/...
- 153
3
votes
3
answers
1k
views
If someone committed copyright infringement and was able and willing to endure all maximum fines and prison time, could they still practically do it?
Let's say an already obscenely rich individual in the US (whose wealth is unrelated to any crime) decides to reproduce unauthorized copies of a copyrighted work for a profit and gets caught. This ...
- 47
2
votes
0
answers
20
views
For a work to be considered "transformative" under fair use, does the "new expression, meaning or message" have to be about the original work?
One of the four factors used to determine whether use of copyrighted material is considered fair use is "the purpose and character of the use." The essence of this factor seems to be "...
- 609
20
votes
4
answers
5k
views
Is a copyright claim diminished by an owner's refusal to publish?
Alan is aware of an obscure old book that is out of print, and republishes it.
Brenda Books, Inc. objects and sues Alan since they own the copyright. This is not disputed. Brenda Books' claim is a ...
1
vote
1
answer
36
views
Is an edited version of a trademark covered through the original trademark in the UK?
Is a shortened or edited version of a trademark covered by the initial trademark.
Take the following for example:
If someone were to use this name or logo while removing the 'studio', would this be ...
- 31
-1
votes
1
answer
54
views
Can copyright be made on to a specific word or name? [duplicate]
I wanted to use two words 'HAKAI' and 'BEERUS SAMA' in my design but when i posted them the site took it down and said it has been ended early due to content concern. What is the actual issue here? ...
- 1
13
votes
2
answers
2k
views
How does copyrights work for mobile/web applications?
If a mobile/web developer creates an application like Uber, then sells it to a company, and the company also wants the copyrights for the application, what happens if after few months another company ...
- 259
1
vote
1
answer
134
views
Are AI model weights copyrightable? [duplicate]
I know, that someone asked similar question, but I want to focus on one thing:
Can the weights of the AI model be covered by copyright?
What are the arguments for and what against?
- 21
1
vote
0
answers
63
views
Does the use of imagery to refer to reviewed copyright material count as fair dealing?
Under copyright, as I understand it, the use of images (and other media) can occur without permission in the case of criticism and review. However, sites such as TierMaker uses images to represent ...
- 329
-5
votes
1
answer
60
views
YU-GI-OH! name IP protection?
What is the TM and IP status for Yugioh?
Related to question Will the YU-GI-OH! card copyright ever end?, is the name 'Yu-Gi-Oh!' name protected?
This resource Justia suggests TM protection for video ...
- 115
0
votes
1
answer
48
views
Can we use images from Wikimedia Commons in a product that we sell?
Say we are creating an educational application that needs to use a number of images as part of its lessons. Since it would be prohibitively expensive if we had to hire an artist to create all the ...
- 415
0
votes
2
answers
80
views
selling custom made jacket with other company logo on it, is that legal in CA?
A trader buys an original brand jacket, adds some custom images and texts to the jacket, then sell it online with the original brand logo still on it. Is that legal?
I know that people sell custom ...
- 495
3
votes
3
answers
161
views
What are the laws regarding reprinting of really old documents found behind paywalls?
I love reading old newspapers, so I have a subscription to a Newspapers.com and British Newspaper Archive, while I also get free access to NewspaperArchive.com through my local library (I just enter ...
- 281
1
vote
1
answer
65
views
Can Twitter demand from GitHub information about users who downloaded leaked source code?
Parts of Twitter source codes were leaked and published on GitHub. Twitter asked court to issue subpoena to compel GitHub to reveal "all identifying information" of the user who published it....
- 11
4
votes
1
answer
80
views
What is "18 C.J.S., Copyright and Literary Property, § 113"?
I am working on a research paper on copyright, and I was reading O'Rourke vs. RKO Radio Pictures. It cites "18 C.J.S., Copyright and Literary Property, § 113". What is it citing?
- 41
4
votes
2
answers
96
views
Is an "anti-copyright" notice legally significant?
I found a picture of a record sleeve for an album independently released in New Zealand, and on the back it says "Anti-copyright (band name) 1986".
There is a wikipedia page for "anti-...
- 43
20
votes
2
answers
8k
views
If we use a generative AI to generate original images, can we use these images in a product that we sell?
Generative AI can create images. Assume that these images are totally original.
Would that mean that we would have the full rights to the images created by the AI? Could we use these images in a ...
- 415
1
vote
1
answer
100
views
Is it legal to paraphrase a paid Wall Street Journal article in its entirety and publish the paraphrased article for free? [duplicate]
I know that in many countries republishing any web article from another website without consent is considered a form of plagery and copyright enfringement and is therefore illegal.
But I am looking to ...
- 155
0
votes
1
answer
89
views
Is it legal to save a picture from the internet and then send it to my friends?
I'm talking about pictures of cats or flowers or a meme, nothing extreme. Is it technically legal or illegal for me to do this?
- 248