Every once in a while, a story emerges, usually involving the use of music in either a humorous, provocative, or even offensive context that is then assumed by many to be an example of fair use in the form of parody. Aside from the fact that parody itself does not automatically guarantee a use would be judged fair in an actual ...
According to this analysis by Chez Paznienza on The Daily Banter, toymaker GoldieBlox not only used copyright infringement as a marketing tool leading up to the 2013 holidays, but that same YouTube spot illegally using a song by The Beastie Boys was instrumental in their winning a $4 million dollar TV spot placement during tomorrow’s Super Bowl. As Paznienza writes, ...
some tech thing is a new weekly roundup of tech-related stories you might have missed or even wished you missed. Co-hosted by David Newhoff and Sandy Davis. Take a listen and let me/us know what you think. In this episode: Super Bowl stories: SodaStream & GoldieBlox; Strawbees, Prince sues fans, Bitcoin regulation ...
I’ve mentioned a few times that I don’t really get GoldieBlox CEO Debbie Sterling’s motivation in allowing herself and her brand to become the face of what may be a years-long copyright battle with the Beastie Boys, but these are strange and volatile times. Still, the controversial story has brought the subject of women in engineering and technology design into ...
I have to admit to feeling a measure of sympathy for Debbie Sterling, CEO of GoldieBlox, who now finds her company at the receiving end of a suit by The Beastie Boys for acting with “oppression, fraud, & malice” in the misuse of the band’s song “Girls.” Why the sympathy? Because I watched Sterling’s TED talk in which she relates ...
