Podcast: The Briefing - Deepfakes vs Right of Publicity: Navigating the Intersection Between Free Speech and Protected Rights
The Briefing - Deepfakes vs Right of Publicity: Navigating the Intersection Between Free Speech and Protected Rights
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On July 31, 2024, nearly ten months after introducing a discussion draft, a bipartisan group of Senators officially introduced the Nurture Originals, Foster Art, and Keep Entertainment Safe Act of 2024 (NO FAKES Act). The...more
As discussed in the 2023 Data Security Incident Response Report, over the past several years a wave of lawsuits was brought alleging violations of customers’ right of publicity based on the sale of customer mailing lists. The...more
The rise of Deepfakes is a growing concern within the entertainment industry. Scott Hervey and Jamie Lincenberg discuss this and the intersection between free speech and protected rights on this episode of The Briefing....more
Just Because it’s Published Doesn’t Mean it’s in the Public Domain - Some people think that if something is on the Internet, it’s in the public domain and is fair game to be copied. Not true! Giving the public access to an...more
In recent weeks, a number of new class actions have been filed in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois asserting novel claims under the Illinois Right to Publicity Act (“IRPA”) 765 ILCS 1075/1 et seq....more
A new post-mortem right of publicity bill that was signed into law by Governor Cuomo on November 30, 2020, will soon take effect on May 29, 2021. The new law recognizes post-mortem rights of publicity in New York for the...more
On November 30, 2020, New York Governor Andrew Cuomo signed into law New York Senate Bill S5959D, an amendment to New York’s right of publicity law to provide the 40 year post-mortem right of estates of deceased celebrities...more
Elvis sightings have had a long, storied life of their own since the King of Rock-and-Roll’s “death” was reported (or perhaps exaggerated (though neither greatly nor grossly)), in 1977. Indeed, since 1977, it has been claimed...more
Celebrities domiciled in New York State at the time of their death will soon have a transferable post-mortem right of publicity, bringing the law in New York closer in line to several other states, like California, that...more
On November 30, 2020, New York Governor Andrew Cuomo signed a new right of publicity statute into law, which will take effect 180 days after enactment. The law allows successors in interest of deceased “performers” and...more
The “right of publicity” generally prohibits the commercial use of someone’s name or likeness. There is no federal right of publicity; rather, the right is governed by state law. There is a patchwork of state laws that govern...more
In the Empire State, the right of publicity remains alive and well—including (soon) for celebrities who are, well, no longer alive. New York has expanded its nearly 120-year old statutory regime to provide a post-mortem right...more
A federal district court in California has awarded a $2.7-million default judgment to Kim Kardashian West in her lawsuit against a fast fashion online retailer that allegedly used her persona and likeness to sell its...more
William Shatner made headlines in November when he took to Twitter to express his displeasure that his name and likeness were used without his permission to promote a condo development in Hamilton, Ontario. The development in...more
When it comes to the right of publicity, it helps to keep tabs on California law. The right to prevent the unauthorized commercial use of a person’s name, likeness or other indicia of identity may vary from state-to-state....more
In this three-part series, we identified three distinct seasons in the lifecycle of an eponymous brand: (1) Choosing the Brand, (2) Commercializing the Brand, and (3) Legacy of the Brand. In Part 1, we discussed what is at...more
It’s Dangerous to Go Alone! Take This. Intellectual Property Tips for the Esports Industry - With the annual Game Developers Conference spectacular in our rearview mirror, and the NBA’s partnership with Take-Two to launch...more
This month, a California woman sued Chipotle for $2.2 billion based on the burrito chain's unauthorized use of her photograph in its promotional materials. The $2.2 billion demand represents Chipotle's profits from 2006, when...more
Former UCLA basketball star and NCAA champion Ed O’Bannon was the lead plaintiff in a 2009 class action lawsuit that was the first serious challenge to the lifeblood of the NCAA’s very existence: all of its players are unpaid...more
VW Will Pay $14.7B in Largest FTC False Ad Suit - Volkswagen made a $14.7 billion deal with the Federal Trade Commission, the Department of Justice, and the California Attorney General over charges that the auto...more