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.

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Using a company's logo in reference to something

I've seen a few instances recently where an app or website uses another company's logo and brand name in reference to something. Some examples include using an internet service provider's logo and ...
Charlie Fish's user avatar
-2 votes
1 answer
85 views

Web scraping of an online dictionary

1.I made a web scraper of an online dictionary. It scrapes and saves to a text file definitions and examples of sentences of words in a list. I want to make this scraper publicly available on GitHub. ...
homievk's user avatar
1 vote
2 answers
82 views

Copyright Timeline Question

Imagine the following sequence of events . . . You finish a book and submit a copyright application on November 1, 2023. You publish the book and begin selling it on November 15. Someone pirates the ...
Paredon's user avatar
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1 answer
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Is a private individual shopping for personal goods from companies "non-commercial"?

Suppose Alice is interested in buying something for her personal use, completely unrelated to her work or making money. She investigates the products produced by Bob Inc. and Charlie Corp., both for-...
User65535's user avatar
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-2 votes
2 answers
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software copyright for microservice using frameworks in cloud environment

I am trying to work on a new web software project, using the same web framework and tech stack that I used for previous project where its copyright has been granted to someone else. The problem is ...
dadar's user avatar
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3 votes
3 answers
132 views

Copyright risks for code contributed by generative AI

Suppose a company is developing software, and an engineer/coder uses some code generated by Code LLaMA or some similar generative AI. Microsoft has brought out copilot, which does a similar thing and ...
Dr Xorile's user avatar
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8 votes
2 answers
6k views

What stops stolen software from offering a valid license?

A common pattern in software distribution is to have an installer program that pops up and offers the user a license to the software, and prompts the user to accept it. This End User License Agreement ...
interfect's user avatar
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Copyright and Fair use: Logos

Some companies have written articles about my website. Many of the articles were also interviews. My question is - can I use the Logos of the companies on my website under the "fair use" ...
Sarian Morio's user avatar
1 vote
1 answer
77 views

Is it fair use of copyright to create and distribute a simulation model from a copyrighted schematic?

Let's say if company A developed an electronic product. A published the product's datasheet on its website free to the public, copyright of the datasheet is owned by A. One part of the datasheet is ...
Ligon Liu's user avatar
7 votes
5 answers
4k views

Can a court’s decision be copyrighted?

See this page: If the citation column does not include a hyperlink, then copyright restrictions prevent BAILII from publishing the judgment (missing cases may be available on other commercial/...
Seeking answers's user avatar
-3 votes
1 answer
88 views

Crypto currencies, gambling, copyrights [closed]

I am a programmer and i have been offered the possibility to work for someone on the other side of the world to write a crypto program that would allow users to gamble their crypto currencies. The ...
Yann's user avatar
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12 votes
2 answers
2k views

Would a user of the Stack Exchange API be liable for re-publishing copyright infringing data?

Data obtained from the Stack Exchange API is cc-wiki licensed. This license explicitly encourages the user of the API to copy, redistribute, remix and transform the data obtained from the API for any ...
kranzky's user avatar
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0 votes
1 answer
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Attributing Copyright to Individual vs Business

An individual (e.g. Bob Jones) establishes his own business (incorporated as BJ LLC). He then self-publishes a book. Are there any legal advantages to copyrighting the book under his name versus the ...
Paredon's user avatar
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2 votes
2 answers
143 views

Is it fair use to include unpurchased media in a website that is still under development?

When a new website is being built for a client, it often begins as a "development" site that uses one or more methods to make sure that it is not accessible by normal and customary means. ...
Nosajimiki's user avatar
0 votes
1 answer
71 views

What countries don't have fair use in copyright law?

I know that Japan is one of these countries without fair use, are there any others?
Odin Laufeyson's user avatar
3 votes
1 answer
223 views

Obtaining right to copy music for private use?

If I wish to obtain the right to copy music for private use, how do I do that? Or do I need to do that? There is an organization called ASCAP that will sell rights to publicly perform music, like in a ...
Cicero's user avatar
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Short Weak Copyleft Software License [migrated]

Is there a short weak (or strong) copyleft license? I like the GPL v3. The way that all its different sections interlock is quite poetic. However, this beauty comes at the cost of it being near ...
Crab's user avatar
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-1 votes
1 answer
109 views

Why are authors suing Meta and OpenAI instead of Shawn Presser for copyright infringement?

Various authors are suing OpenAI and Meta for alleged copyright infringement in using the authors' works to train the companies' large language models (LLMs). My understanding is that OpenAI has ...
Very Tiny Brain's user avatar
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0 answers
31 views

Can I use known YouTube video cartoon characters on an educational children app? [duplicate]

I'm developing a children app to teach vocabulary, how to talk and to read. I have different categories (23 at the moment) and around 400 items so far. I though in using a Characters category and ...
Emerson's user avatar
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0 answers
25 views

Legality of graphical representation of "Jell-O" [duplicate]

There are Photoshop tutorials that show you how to create the world "Jell-O" with characters that actually look like Jell-O. However, I believe the word Jell-O is protected by copyright, ...
Paredon's user avatar
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1 vote
2 answers
73 views

Is PostScript language copyrightable (Adobe license)

Perhaps a repetitive question, but since a lot of things work on the PostScript language (even PDF is technically derived from PostScript), I think it is worth taking a look at this thread. In the ...
Maniues's user avatar
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1 vote
1 answer
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When does official copyright protection begin?

Artistic works are copyrighted by default, of course. However, filing an official copyright application confers additional benefits. But does one have to wait until a copyright application has been ...
Paredon's user avatar
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-1 votes
0 answers
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Is making 3d models of something, against copyright laws? [duplicate]

Is it considered a copyright infringement if I make a 3D model/print of cars like BMW or persons like actors? I have seen people already selling such 3D files or physical models. How does it work? If ...
freeman's user avatar
0 votes
2 answers
145 views

Is it legal to 3D scan anything and how are 'shapes' protected?

I'm surprised there are almost no questions on this site about 3D scanning and its legal implications on patents, copyrights, whatever laws or regulation apply on it. As of 2023, 3D printing is ...
Bob Ortiz's user avatar
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0 answers
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Is it trademark infringement if there is no ambiguity that you're not the brand? - E.g., notMicrosoft, AppleIsBad [duplicate]

Related: Copyright laws regarding using the suffix of an established Brand name Is it trademark infringement if you put the word 'not' in front?
A T's user avatar
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4 votes
2 answers
112 views

Would a copyright disclaimer estop any future claim of protection?

Suppose a person creates an original work that would qualify for copyright protection. But then that creator publishes the work and claims that it was actually created by some long-dead artist, which ...
feetwet's user avatar
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2 votes
0 answers
52 views

Do I have to keep encryption keys secret if I know they decrypt copyrighted content that was distributed without authorization?

Say someone else posts an encrypted file online, and challenges people to decrypt it. Say I download the file headers, and I manage to determine the password. (Maybe it was a made-up word that only me ...
interfect's user avatar
  • 1,695
0 votes
2 answers
158 views

How does the law decide who a computer is?

Is there any established logic for deciding who (software author, computer owner, local user, person who sent a remote command, etc.) is responsible for the actions of a computer? Say that 1000 copies ...
interfect's user avatar
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2 votes
2 answers
125 views

Can a software license be conditional on the actions of others?

I recently had an idea for a "threshold conditional" software license that works like this: Any person/entity can purchase a license and gain the unconditional right to use the software any ...
blaineh's user avatar
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0 answers
33 views

Does the UK text and data mining exception to copyright allow non-commercial projects free use of anything on the internet to train their models?

On the UK government page on Exceptions to copyright the text and data mining exception is described as: Text and data mining is the use of automated analytical techniques to analyse text and data ...
User65535's user avatar
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0 votes
1 answer
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Does the UK time-shifting exception to copyright allow viewing beyond the end of a subscription period?

On the UK government page on Exceptions to copyright the time-shifting exception is described as: A recording of a broadcast can be made in domestic premises for private and domestic use to enable it ...
User65535's user avatar
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1 vote
1 answer
72 views

Can I get copyright protection for someone else's character?

Say someone publishes a book featuring a minor side character, with a name but without the sort of strong character trait delineation that would qualify the character for copyright protection. Say I ...
interfect's user avatar
  • 1,695
1 vote
1 answer
71 views

Facts sufficient to construct a copy of a copyrighted work

In this answer, it is mentioned that facts about a copyrighted work, such as lists of how many times they use each word, are not really derivative works because, as facts, they aren't subject to ...
interfect's user avatar
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7 votes
2 answers
3k views

Can my music player app have the same name as a musician band? It's common words

Can my music player app have the same name as a musician band? It's common words. For example, let's say there is a group called "Black Stones" (this is not the name, just an example). And I ...
Daahrien's user avatar
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-1 votes
4 answers
123 views

Differences between patent and copyright

I'm reading "Open Source Licensing" by Lawrence Rosen. At page 30 there is written: A patent differs from a copyright in a fundamental way: A copyright prevents a third party from copying ...
robertspierre's user avatar
0 votes
1 answer
87 views

Legality of AI-generated picture of famous person

A number of online sites that sell the rights to use images commercially now offer artificial intelligence-generated images. Some people claim they aren't really legal, because the AI is "trained&...
Paredon's user avatar
  • 351
0 votes
1 answer
182 views

Can I use apple ios emojis on my website?

I'm building a small in-browser game and want to use png images of apple emojis in main menu. Here's how it looks: I composed these emojis into background pictures for every game mode and added a ...
Daniil456's user avatar
2 votes
2 answers
111 views

Is a third party allowed to develop a visually exact copy of a formerly MIT licensed software?

My team at a non profit organization designed and developed a niche software product starting 2012. It was licensed under the MIT license until January 2022. Thereafter the license changed to a ...
Lina van der Weg's user avatar
1 vote
2 answers
62 views

Can I make an intermediate copy of an entire work for the purpose of enabling me to criticize it?

A recent question asked about the practice of transcribing music for hire. Say I would like to publish a critical analysis of a song. In the process of preparing this analysis I need to actually ...
interfect's user avatar
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1 vote
1 answer
57 views

Dual Question: Are music transcription services legal? How to legally share/sell music transcriptions?

Is it legal to charge for the service of transcribing music for a customer? For example, if someone requests that I transcribe a copyrighted song for them, is it legal for me to do this and charge a ...
EliHComposer's user avatar
1 vote
1 answer
101 views

What happens to illegally produced copies when the producer settles?

Say I download a copyright-protected album, and, without licence, make it available for download on a peer to peer network, distributing it to 10,000 of my closest friends. Then I get a letter from a ...
interfect's user avatar
  • 1,695
0 votes
1 answer
119 views

Watching bootleg DVDs [duplicate]

Say that, for my upcoming birthday, someone gifts me a copy of the hit film Shrek 2 on DVD. Say that, instead of being professionally pressed and shrink-wrapped, my new copy of Shrek 2 is a shiny DVD+...
interfect's user avatar
  • 1,695
-3 votes
2 answers
91 views

Can I be copyrighted for using a scream in my song?

I found this video of Yoko Ono screaming at some art show on YouTube and I thought that it would resemble fabulously with a song I was making at the time. The video (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=...
dxjfh's user avatar
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6 votes
1 answer
2k views

Is voice copyrightable after death?

In my country copyright is barely a thing. There was a well-known voice-actor in my country who died several years ago. He spoke on so many advertisements and animations. After his death one person ...
Snack Exchange's user avatar
1 vote
1 answer
182 views

Are fan games legal?

"Fan games" are video games made by fans using a popular intellectual property, without license. Are they protected by "fair use" or are the IP holders just allowing it?
user avatar
-1 votes
1 answer
50 views

I want to have someone cover a song for a documentary. What are the steps? [duplicate]

I am producing a documentary based on the Native American Culture and I want to have a Native Singer cover a pop song, written by Sia. What are the steps? It is just going to be used for the ...
Brenda Fisher's user avatar
2 votes
1 answer
106 views

Is it legal to circumvent DVD CSS to create a backup for private use in Australia?

There are two issues at play here. The first is that, in 2006, it was deemed legal to make a backup of a "cinematograph film" for private and domestic use in an amendment to the Copyright ...
ripandtear's user avatar
2 votes
2 answers
105 views

Can a journal legally publish research conducted on copyrighted data?

This is about the following question on Academia.SE. The OP in that question says that they have acquired some copyrighted data, which was made available to them on condition that they don't analyze ...
Allure's user avatar
  • 2,407
0 votes
1 answer
75 views

If a group of people share individual de minimis sections of a copyrighted work, sufficient to reconstruct the work, is this copyright infringement?

Suppose a group of people share small segments of a copyrighted work in a chat room. If the song "Amazing Grace" were still under copyright, it could go something like this: <A> ...
Someone's user avatar
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0 votes
1 answer
36 views

Fair use question relating to copyright law [duplicate]

Good day. I currently work in the publishing field, but have a unique inquiry regarding fair use related to copyright law; I am interested in launching an executive summary service to assist busy ...
Kelly Pyrek's user avatar

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