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

Does a principle called 'Cover Your Tracks' exist in copyright? [more inside]
posted by jfrancis on Jul 30, 2009 - 13 answers

I'm making a magazine (for a class), and one of the articles is about video game addictions. I wanted something that stood out for the title page, and I found this great little image. I used parts of it (pieces of the image, as well as the exact color) to make the title page image. [more inside]
posted by ismaelsobek on Apr 28, 2009 - 5 answers

What sort of copyright protection do performers (burlesque, specifically, but any stage performance works) have? What about tribute acts? [more inside]
posted by divabat on Apr 17, 2009 - 21 answers

Whose permission do I need to reprint publications of the Canadian government? [more inside]
posted by synecdoche on Mar 25, 2009 - 3 answers

Why do movie credits always contain the line "This motion picture was created by <company> for purposes of copyright law in the United Kingdom"? [more inside]
posted by Mwongozi on Feb 26, 2009 - 5 answers

Can I use a song lyric/title as my business name? Or is it copyright protected? [more inside]
posted by jourman2 on Feb 23, 2009 - 22 answers

Can I buy a copyrighted product (i.e., a toy), modify it for other uses, and then re-sell it? [more inside]
posted by Jon_Evil on Dec 16, 2008 - 14 answers

Can I legally harvest facts posted in an Internet forum, reformat them, and display them in a more user-friendly format on my web site? [more inside]
posted by underdetermined on Dec 7, 2008 - 11 answers

I want to include a sample sale-and-purchase contract in a book that I am writing. Do I need to get the approval of the lawyer (or firm) who first wrote the contract? How do I find the copyright holder? And could I resolve this by creating a composite of several different contracts? Thanks in advance.
posted by quidividi on Nov 1, 2008 - 2 answers

What is the difference (legal or otherwise) between "decoding" and "decrypting?" [more inside]
posted by explosion on Sep 30, 2008 - 13 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

Is it possible for cc-licensed content to be un-cc'ed? That is, relicensed under a more severe license. As far as I know, Creative Commons is forever, but I just wanted to make sure.
posted by Tlogmer on Jul 10, 2008 - 11 answers

If I buy an original piece of artwork, from the artist, without a written contract, who owns the copyright? [more inside]
posted by nomisxid on Mar 24, 2008 - 13 answers

Some friends and I are into Urban Exploration. We're photographers who enjoy this subject quite a bit. We've been considering writing a book of pictures and a few stories of various sites we have done. I am curious if anyone knows the legal ramifications of publishing such a book? The idea is there would be pictures of sites we did not have permission to photograph. These are sites where 'no trespassing' signs have been clearly posted and alternative measures have been used to gain entrance. Note:: No breaking and entering or burgulary methods were used. Available entrances only. This question is on the legality of publishing said book, please no flames or discussion on the legal issues surrounding urbex itself. Thanks in advance.
posted by grahamux on Mar 11, 2008 - 11 answers

Are there any copyright infringement issues to using a Rubber Stamp Image that I purchased on my website? [more inside]
posted by karyys on Feb 27, 2008 - 17 answers

Some friends and I are putting recipes on our website for easy reference, and for comparative analysis of different recipes for the product. As far as I can tell, ingredient lists can't be copyrighted. But how much do we need to change/reword the instructions to preempt letters from lawyers?
posted by jytsai on Dec 17, 2007 - 11 answers

How tough are copyrights on website design and content, if a client asks you to re-use content? [more inside]
posted by fijiwriter on Dec 12, 2007 - 10 answers

Is it possible to copyright a legal agreement? I'd like to do some cut and pasting of a few Terms of Service agreements but don't want to run afoul of the law.
posted by Pinwheel on Oct 17, 2007 - 24 answers

Cover songs, legal vs. practical: Is the requirement for a mechanical license ever enforced, especially for covers distributed for free over the internet? [more inside]
posted by advil on Feb 17, 2007 - 4 answers

I am very familiar with Lawrence Lessig and his writings, particularly on copyright, but I thought it would only be fair to look at the other side. So, who are the biggest US names in pro-copyright/anti-Lessig law? [more inside]
posted by evadery on Nov 29, 2006 - 10 answers

Is it possible to find out details pertaining to, or resulting from copyright lawsuits? [more inside]
posted by psyward on Nov 16, 2006 - 12 answers

If Microsoft pays Universal music 1.00 for each Zune sold, to help them recoup losses due to piracy, does that mean that I can put any Universal music I want on the device? [more inside]
posted by stupidcomputernickname on Nov 10, 2006 - 14 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

What is the copyright status of works derived from the Cthulhu Mythos? more specifically, could someone just put out their own book, movie or comic extending the Mythos (and using shared characters) or would they have to get permission and pay someone first? [more inside]
posted by Artw on May 24, 2006 - 24 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

I'm considering writing a book about game systems in the 80's and would like to be able to include screenshots of many of the games. What do I need to do to be able to include those screenshots without being sued? Does this fall under the copyright law's "fair use"? Does the fact that they are older games make any difference? Apologies if this has been asked before - I couldn't find anything related to publishing game screenshots.
posted by aceyprime on May 4, 2006 - 9 answers

Where can I find clear and direct laws regarding the playback of backed-up music at a place of business in the United States? [more inside]
posted by Dean Keaton on Apr 19, 2006 - 25 answers

Is an email "Cease and Desist" letter a legal notification? I have been under the impression that a piece of paper, duly sworn, sweared and served was required. New York, civil matter. Yes, I know your not my lawyer.
posted by cedar on Apr 10, 2006 - 14 answers

How would I go about licensing hundreds of TV commercials for sale as a repackaged product? [more inside]
posted by scottreynen on Jan 17, 2006 - 9 answers

Is DeCSS legal? [more inside]
posted by knave on Nov 1, 2005 - 12 answers

A project of mine has inovlved me creating a number of Sudoku puzzles. What is my position with regards to copyright? I have created, from scratch, a program that builds Sudoku grids. I don't actually build the grids myself, my program does. Do I still hold copyright on the generated grids? [more inside]
posted by gaby on Oct 15, 2005 - 22 answers

Second year law student wants to write a paper about alternatives to traditional copyright, i.e. copyleft, creative commons. [more inside]
posted by whatitis on Sep 3, 2005 - 5 answers

How do I force another website to get rid of my stolen content? [more inside]
posted by daninnj on Jul 2, 2005 - 4 answers

I'm looking for information about the legality (copyright etc) of republishing public government documents... Specifically election results and voter registration data. [more inside]
posted by tozturk on Jun 29, 2005 - 7 answers

I know that if you want to sell a CD with cover songs on it, you have to get permission from the artist/copyright holder. But what about if you just want to record covers and make them available for free? For fun, I'd like to record myself playing some covers and put 'em up on Ourmedia, but I want to stay on the good side of the law. [more inside]
posted by danb on May 26, 2005 - 9 answers

Theoretically: what are the legalities of reselling something I bought off of a website which was later shut down for copyright infringement. The first example that comes to mind is about selling DJ Danger Mouse's Grey Album on eBay. Would I get nailed for this, either by the men in suits or by eBay?
posted by michaelkuznet on Mar 24, 2005 - 15 answers

(RIAA-filter) Concerning downloading copyrighted material, is the act of downloading illegal, or just possesion? If you download a song and delete it, are you stil culpable? Of what offense? And is intent a factor?
posted by Edible Energy on Feb 12, 2005 - 18 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

I'm looking for some good websites on copyright law and issues [MI] [more inside]
posted by thewittyname on Jan 17, 2005 - 13 answers

Is John Ashcroft's singing of "Let the Eagle Soar" a copyrighted recording, or does him (formerly) being a gov't official doing it at some strange gov't event in public make it public domain? [more inside]
posted by mathowie on Nov 11, 2004 - 12 answers

Lawyerfilter: I'm curious about the legality of replicating content (designs, catchphrases, etc) from a given medium into another. For example, I love the "Real Genius"-inspired shirts that founditemclothing.com is producing ( "I Love Toxic Waste," "International Order for Gorillas," and "Surf Nicaragua,") but I'm wondering if it's permissible under the law. Thanks in advance to anyone willing and able to take a stab at explaning it.
posted by Sinner on Oct 26, 2004 - 8 answers

I recently became aware of a very serious copyright violation regarding copywritten material belonging to a family member being used on a for-profit website with no attribution. My relative wants to proceed legally, but is afraid that the site will get pulled down by its creator and there will be no legal evidence of the violation. Archive.org has not indexed the site. I have screenshots, but are those enough?
posted by chaz on May 20, 2004 - 14 answers

I"ve been reading Free Culture and fuming about copyright law. Something's been puzzling me: why is copyright law in the E.U. even more stringent than the U.S.? The E.U.'s generally more liberal and closer to me on almost every major issue; this is a glaring exception that I can't quite figure out.
posted by Tlogmer on Mar 28, 2004 - 4 answers

I might want to post a picture of W Bush with a potentially inflammatory caption on my blog. Probably NOT a good idea for me to just grab an AP photo..? (Inside, dere is more.) [more inside]
posted by Shane on Mar 1, 2004 - 15 answers