65
votes
Copyright abuse is getting Luigi Mangione merch removed from the internet – artists, merch sellers, and journalists making and posting Luigi media have become the targets of bogus DMCA claims
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- Title
- Copyright Abuse Is Getting Luigi Mangione Merch Removed From the Internet
- Published
- Dec 19 2024
- Word count
- 2009 words
Who would have thought that the CEO of United Health being murdered would spark a new, larger discussion of DMCA/Copyright?
Honestly, there are so many issues with copyright, and I'm sure it ties in, somehow with the issues Mangione made a statement on, but it's just wild to me that we can have so many different discussions spring from one event that have tendrils in so many aspects of society, namely those that benefit the rich, and punish everyone else.
It's fascinating, isn't it? I have heard journalists I respect, in their effort to tamp down any voice that seems sympathetic to the event to completely minimize the impetus that led to it. One of the worst I heard was one of my favorite podcasts, Left Right and Center, who stated something along the lines of the murder was based on disagreement with "business practices." That strikes me as so awfully tone deaf. To those who have suffered at the hands of Americas healthcare "business practices," including death, this is a sincere insult. The practices are way beyond simple business as much as leadership would like to pretend so. The bigger maladaptation is that so many have so little access to justice and recompense, no institution will hear them and acknowledge their pain, that they have no outlet for their justifiable rage. Add to that all the other unjust pressures "regular" folks are under, it's no surprise to me that some resort to violence. Is it morally justified? I think not, but without any other outlet, this will be a repeated result I fear.
I agree with you so much. The only place where I am slightly wavering is that the violence is completely morally justified. When all nonviolent methods have been exhausted, it is our duty to uphold justice - even if violence is the ultimate use of our duty.
It's just so crazy that this one murder, which would have just been another murder any other day if this person wasn't so rich and powerful, we didn't even know his name until he was murdered, for the most part (just a faceless CEO), we would never have heard of this gun violence in NY. and now it's rippled into copyight law, journalistic integrity, fast food, and more.
"All nonviolent methods have been exhausted" - really? To do what?
I’m curious how the security footage could be owned by anyone but the city/state/whomever literally owns the cameras who captured the footage.
If my understanding of copyright is accurate, copyright exists the moment something is created, so it belongs to whomever owns the cameras. These rights can be registered to help you defend against infringement, but this is not required. It would be bizarre for the copyright of the security footage to belong to United healthcare, or anyone else besides security, in any capacity, unless the rights were transferred to them. DMCA is strange in that it seems too easy to bring frivolous takedowns.
I would argue that security footage should be uncopyrightable. There is no application of any creativity, or even framing a shot to look good. It's literally just a raw feed of life. It should be treated more like a trade secret than intellectual property.
That's the foundation of why raw AI output is not copyrightable. Or recipes. Or mathematical formulas.
That is a very good point, and reminds me of the Macaque selfie imbroglio from 2011.
I’m glad that the outcome of most of this is that the images just become Streissand-effected, or hydra-effected —take one down, a million other pop up.
There is precendent for this with the Parkland shooter's name being transferred to the families of the victims.
However, this isn't something that's happened in this particular case yet, so it's likely some public relations firm being paid to diffuse sympathy for Luigi Mangione, either out of concern for public safety or the image of UHC, or both.
Interesting !
Is this not more related to Son of Sam laws and not being allowed to profit from your crimes ? On that topic, if you do not make any profit, are you allowed to retain your rights to share your story ?
See: Jordan Belfort consulting on the Wolf of Wall Street movie.
I recommend reading 404 media’s original coverage (which this article links to).
https://www.404media.co/copyright-abuse-is-getting-luigi-mangione-merch-removed-from-the-internet/
Could we get this link swapped out? The OG source is much better.
(This is addressed to our resident mods who I don't even feel the need to ping)
Done!