Image: Johnny Cash in a 1979 publicity photo for the CBS Television program The Johnny Cash Spring Special. Image credit: CBS Television. By Gary Symons TLL Editor in Chief The estate of legendary singer Johnny Cash is suing top global brand Coca-Cola under a law named for another legendary singer, Elvis Presley. The Cash estate brought the suit under Tennessee's … [Read more...] about Johnny Cash Sues Coca Cola Under the ‘Elvis Act’
Licensing Law
Stability AI Prevails in Getty Images Copyright Fight
By Gary Symons TLL Editor in Chief Britain's High Court came down with a landmark decision that mainly sided with Stability AI in its defence of a copyright lawsuit brought by Getty Images. The U.S.-based Getty Images is the largest image seller in the world, particularly after its merger in January this year with primary competitor ShutterStock. But Getty Images … [Read more...] about Stability AI Prevails in Getty Images Copyright Fight
Lululemon Receives Trademark of the Term ‘Lululemon Dupes’
By Gary Symons TLL Editor in Chief When fashion vlogger Lulu Fox (image at right) revealed her favorite 'dupes' of Lululemon products, her fans loved it. "LULU!! these reviews are so beautiful OMGG i lovee ", said one. "I see this brand all over tiktok but i never knew they were a lulu dupe!," said another. "So cool how they do cashmere for $50 too wow!" But Lululemon … [Read more...] about Lululemon Receives Trademark of the Term ‘Lululemon Dupes’
Analysis: Release of Sora 2 Ushers in a Tsunami of Disruptive Change
By Gary Symons TLL Editor in Chief Open AI's release of video generator Sora 2 on September 30 is an historic event that will change the world in ways we can't even yet imagine. One of those areas of transformative change will be in the world of copyright protection and brand licensing. Does that sound overblown? Well, read on, and see if you disagree. Until now, … [Read more...] about Analysis: Release of Sora 2 Ushers in a Tsunami of Disruptive Change
Crowdsourcing Authenticity: Octane5 Says Future of Brand Protection Lies with Consumers
By Gary Symons TLL Editor in Chief Counterfeit goods have always been the dark underbelly of the licensing industry. From fake Disney merchandise to knockoff handbags and collectible toys, illicit products drain billions from legitimate companies while eroding consumer trust. The challenge has grown more complex in recent years as counterfeiters leverage global … [Read more...] about Crowdsourcing Authenticity: Octane5 Says Future of Brand Protection Lies with Consumers
AI Firm Anthropic Pays $1.5 Billion in Largest Ever Copyright Settlement
By Gary Symons TLL Editor in Chief The artificial intelligence developer Anthropic has agreed to pay $1.5 billion to settle claims that it downloaded millions of pirated books to train its large language models (LLMs). Attorneys and legal experts say the settlement is the largest copyright settlement in U.S. history, even though one important aspect of the plaintiff's case … [Read more...] about AI Firm Anthropic Pays $1.5 Billion in Largest Ever Copyright Settlement
Protecting Brands in the Age of AI: A Conversation with JPatton
JPatton’s layered security labels combine currency-grade printing, holography, and forensic codes to protect against counterfeiting. Image courtesy of JPatton. How JPatton Has Adapted to Protect Brands From New Threats to IP In an era when counterfeiters move at the speed of AI, brands are under constant attack. Fake merchandise, unauthorized product diversion, and digital … [Read more...] about Protecting Brands in the Age of AI: A Conversation with JPatton
Moonvalley Launches ‘Ethical AI’, Amid Concerns Over Copyright in AI Training
By Gary Symons TLL Editor in Chief Can generative AI be ethical, and respect the copyright of human creators? The AI research company Moonvalley says it can, and has just launched a new AI model called Marey that creates video, but does so while respecting the copyright of the content with which it was trained. Given the global concern over alleged copyright violation by … [Read more...] about Moonvalley Launches ‘Ethical AI’, Amid Concerns Over Copyright in AI Training
Taylor Swift Reclaims Ownership of Her First Six Albums
By Gary Symons TLL Editor in Chief Taylor Swift has officially regained ownership of the master recordings of her first six albums, marking the end of a lengthy dispute over the rights to her early music. Swift announced the acquisition on her official website, calling it a long-awaited resolution. “All of the music I've ever made now belongs to me,” she wrote, describing … [Read more...] about Taylor Swift Reclaims Ownership of Her First Six Albums
Critics Say Europe’s ‘AI Act’ Fails to Protect Artists’ Copyright
By Gary Symons TLL Editor in Chief A key architect of EU copyright law says the legislation has failed to protect the copyright of writers, musicians and artists. Axel Voss is a German centre-right member of the European parliament, who played a major role in writing the EU's directive on copyright in 2019. However, he says the law was not intended to deal with generative AI … [Read more...] about Critics Say Europe’s ‘AI Act’ Fails to Protect Artists’ Copyright