ExtortionLetterInfo Forums

ELI Forums => Getty Images Letter Forum => Topic started by: Jerry Witt (mcfilms) on July 28, 2014, 11:14:30 AM

Title: Another example of a big media company claiming copyright to something they don'
Post by: Jerry Witt (mcfilms) on July 28, 2014, 11:14:30 AM

You have probably noticed that restraunts no longer sing "Happy Birthday to you". Here's why:

https://www.techdirt.com/articles/20130613/11165823451/filmmaker-finally-aims-to-get-court-to-admit-that-happy-birthday-is-public-domain.shtml

Hopefully this will soon change.

Title: Re: Another example of a big media company claiming copyright to something they don'
Post by: Oscar Michelen on July 28, 2014, 06:33:22 PM

Chain restaurants have always avoided using Happy Birthday to stay clear of any issue which is why they create those goofy versions of their own. Here's a blog post I wrote about this subject last July:
http://www.courtroomstrategy.com/2013/06/lawsuit-may-push-happy-birthday-into-public-domain/

Title: Re: Another example of a big media company claiming copyright to something they don'
Post by: Jerry Witt (mcfilms) on July 28, 2014, 09:38:56 PM

I realize now that although I just came across it on Tech Dirt, it is actually Old News.

I wonder where the case is at right now? Will the filmmaker get to make their film?