As fitness companies transform into entertainment companies, new licensing issues arise regarding music in an at-home work-out video versus music heard in an in-person gym class. Specifically, the usage of music in a gym class requires a public performance license…
The Wayback Machine is a well-known resource to law school journal editors and many other people. For editors, it is a tool to confirm the accuracy of claims cited using webpages that are no longer accessible or behind a paywall.…
The music industry’s widely anticipated Mechanical Licensing Collective (“MLC”) officially went into effect at the beginning of January 2021. The MLC, which was created via the passage of the Music Modernization Act (“MMA”) in 2018, was created to administer a…
The 2014 Billboard Music Awards featured a Michael Jackson performance like no other: a holographic Jackson moonwalked once again as he sang “Slave to the Rhythm,” a song from the new, posthumously released Jackson album “Xscape.” The legality surrounding holographic…
Squaring tattoo art and copyright law initially begs the question, to whom does a tattoo and the rights that attach to this form of artistic expression belong to? Initially, the two options that make the most logical sense are that…
Put yourself in the shoes of someone who receives a new tattoo. Eager to share the design with friends, you start snapping pictures of the fresh body art. You send a text alongside the pictures saying, “Check out my new…
The premise that copyright holders can sue those who infringe on their property seems like a fundamental truth of our legal system. If one person or entity uses another’s copyrighted material against their wishes, they can sue for possible damages…
The Supreme Court has granted certiorari to review the merits of the case, Google, Inc. v. Oracle America, Inc. and will be hearing arguments this upcoming March. This case has been followed closely by the tech industry (as well as…
Increased simplicity of sharing information and rapid dissemination of user-generated content in the digital era has introduced challenges and uncertainty around many aspects of intellectual property law. Just last year, the Federal Trade Commission (“FTC”) updated its guidelines outlining how…
Apple TV+ launched on November 1, 2019 and features A-listers and creatives, such as Steve Carell, M. Night Shyamalan, Steven Spielberg, and J.J Abrams. Subsequently, Disney+ launched on November 12, 2019 and boasts an impressive library of nostalgia-invoking and ubiquitous…
On August 18, 2014 Taylor Swift released her single “Shake It Off.” This song debuted at number one on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart, was the number 13 song on the Billboard year end chart, and was certified 9…
Famous recording artist, Lizzo, filed a preemptive lawsuit on October 23rd, 2019 to disprove allegations that Justin and Jeramiah Raisen and Justin “Yves” Rothman deserve author credit for her song, “Truth Hurts.”[1] Lizzo is seeking a declaratory judgment that the…