Trademark bill has some wondering if fair use is over?

Iria · Feb 4, 2006, 05:15 PM

Don Stewart, an Alabama graphic artist, has been drawing "visual puns" for many years, including this picture of a VW Beetle composed entirely of insects. This particular image was created in 1992, so Don was surprised to hear quite recently from Volkswagen's lawyers. They demanded that he stop circulating the image in any way, shape, or form, and suggested that he tear the images out of the coffee table book he sells and send those images to Volkswagen.

But Don did not want to rip pages from his book and mail them to a group of attorneys. Instead, he contacted (PDF) his Senator. Why? Because Don believes that he was targeted by Volkswagen under a new bill passed by the House and currently in committee in the Senate. In his letter, he argues that Volkswagen and other large companies want to use the pedning legislation to prevent journalists and artists from exercising their long-standing rights to the "non-commerical" use of trademarked images.
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Read More / Source: Ars Technica

Feb 4, 2006, 05:15 PM	#1
Iria DriverHeaven Extreme Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Posts: 7,275 Rep Power: 87	Trademark bill has some wondering if fair use is over? Don Stewart, an Alabama graphic artist, has been drawing "visual puns" for many years, including this picture of a VW Beetle composed entirely of insects. This particular image was created in 1992, so Don was surprised to hear quite recently from Volkswagen's lawyers. They demanded that he stop circulating the image in any way, shape, or form, and suggested that he tear the images out of the coffee table book he sells and send those images to Volkswagen. But Don did not want to rip pages from his book and mail them to a group of attorneys. Instead, he contacted (PDF) his Senator. Why? Because Don believes that he was targeted by Volkswagen under a new bill passed by the House and currently in committee in the Senate. In his letter, he argues that Volkswagen and other large companies want to use the pedning legislation to prevent journalists and artists from exercising their long-standing rights to the "non-commerical" use of trademarked images. __________ Read More / Source: Ars Technica