I'm thinking of creating a political parody website that may step on some toes and/or trademarks. I have a few technical and legal questions about how best to go about this. [more inside]
posted by Riki tiki on Dec 22, 2009 - 6 answers

I run a website dedicated to vintage PC games (that is, games from the late 80s, early 90s). Ad revenue has been declining, and a co-admin suggested making t-shirts to sell to support the site. I have questions about what art/words we can use on the shirts. [more inside]
posted by IndigoRain on Aug 17, 2009 - 10 answers

Can I use the "Time Management Matrix" in a commercial software product without any legal repercussions? [more inside]
posted by anonymous on Jul 29, 2009 - 2 answers

What's the cheapest, simplest, most effective way to stop somebody else from owning my logo? [more inside]
posted by philip-random on Jun 3, 2009 - 14 answers

Somebody stole and is reproducing artwork that I never copyrighted or trademarked. What can I do? Details inside... [more inside]
posted by maalsa on Apr 16, 2009 - 18 answers

Can copyrighted images be used on grave markers? [more inside]
posted by kwaller on Mar 11, 2009 - 16 answers

I have invented a calendar that I think is unique in design and function. [more inside]
posted by CollectiveMind on Feb 8, 2009 - 12 answers

Can Spoonflower or a similar company legally print me a bolt of fabric using a William Morris (1834-1896) design? [more inside]
posted by notquitemaryann on Jan 7, 2009 - 9 answers

Does my Flickr photo infringe on a trademark? Do I have to remove it? [more inside]
posted by bryanjbusch on Sep 16, 2008 - 21 answers

This is a bit of a follow up to this question. I'm contemplating a small comics project staring a fictionalised version of HP Lovecraft (something I've done before but thsi will be slight higher profile) and the title will be something along the lnes of "H.P. Lovecraft's World of Weirdness". Is the use of his name in the title like that, which might imply some kind of authorship or endorsement or somesuch, likely to bring the Lovecraft estate down on me like a ton of bricks?
posted by Artw on Aug 26, 2008 - 7 answers

What can a free online game do about a domain squatting / potential IP infringement situation, that doesn't involve commercial legal advice? [more inside]
posted by bifter on Apr 2, 2008 - 2 answers

Copyright filter, again! There have been lots and lots of threads discussing trademark vs. copyright, etc, but in my searching I did not find the answer to this question: what will happen when Mickey Mouse goes out of copyright? [more inside]
posted by gregvr on Jan 16, 2008 - 10 answers

What should I know about trademarks and copyrights before launching a web comics site? [more inside]
posted by EatTheWeak on Jan 11, 2008 - 5 answers

Can you really hold copyright to a business model/idea/concept, and disallow others from duplicating it? If not, then how is The Sampler able to do so? [more inside]
posted by divabat on Dec 21, 2007 - 26 answers

How can I learn about intellectual property law before I go to law school? [more inside]
posted by brett on Oct 10, 2006 - 13 answers

I'm wondering about the way that trademarks can be enforced in a very specific instance. [more inside]
posted by maniactown on Oct 2, 2006 - 16 answers

If a fictional brand from an American movie or tv show does not show up as trademarked in a search at the USPTO, is there any legal barrier to making and selling products displaying that brand (or an original image depicting the brand in cases where no image of it has ever been shown)? [more inside]
posted by kookoobirdz on Aug 22, 2006 - 16 answers

I have some copyright and trademark questions for the fine folks at AskMe. Ok, so I run this online t-shirt store and I had a design based on Godzilla playing the drums. I know some of the Godzilla movies had passed into the public domain, so I just assumed (or perhaps hoped) that would place my design firmly into fair use territory. Welp, I got a cease and desist from the folks that own the trademark and copyright on Godzilla, so I was just hoping to find out more about my options here. [more inside]
posted by Jezztek on May 9, 2006 - 27 answers

Is it possible to perform computer analysis to determine the similarities and/or differences between two logos? [more inside]
posted by AgentRocket on Feb 28, 2006 - 15 answers

What's the deal with blurring out logos? [more inside]
posted by RobotHero on Nov 1, 2005 - 19 answers

Can sound effects be trademarked? [more inside]
posted by pzarquon on Sep 23, 2005 - 14 answers

There's a guy out there on the web that has chosen to name his blog after me, Armando Bellmas. Instead of feeling flattered, I feel used. As a photographer my name is my business name, too, and I can't have this guy moving in on my turf. I don't know him nor have I given him permission to use my name. Plus, his blog is coming up in the top ten search results for my name at Google. He has not replied to any of my email inquiries and, short of calling an attorney for advice, I'm turning to you guys and the web for help. Thanks in advance.
posted by armando on Feb 11, 2005 - 32 answers

Circle C=copyright
Circle R=registered trademark
Circle P=?

Never come across Circle P before. What kind of rights does that designate? Found on a CD of nature sounds.
posted by piskycritter on Jul 16, 2004 - 12 answers