Monthly Archives: July 2023

Copy That!

Headquartered in Singapore, the online fashion retailer Shein has been under legal scrutiny for its apparent knockoff items that look exactly like the creative works produced by known fashion designers. Three US designers have filed a lawsuit, accusing the company of committing copyright infringement at such a remarkably destructive rate that it embodies racketeering. Although the amount of compensatory damages sought has not formally been disclosed to the public, the designers are asking for an injunction to cease the infringement and prevent the business activity from continuing. They claim that Shein is in violation of the RICO Act.

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Fight for Freedom

In Texas, a newly introduced TikTok ban and its apparent subsequent restraints on the ability to exercise full academic freedom is the subject of a recent lawsuit filed by the group, The Knight First Amendment Institute at Columbia University. Academic freedom not only affords the opportunity for professors to conduct research and teach an array of topics and ideas without the fear of censure, but also allows students to engage in thought processes and debates without the anxiety of potential retaliation. The lawsuit names Texas Governor Greg Abbott and additional state entities and public university personnel as defendants.

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Rideshare with Care

The family of a slain 21-year-old has filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the ridesharing company, Uber. In the claim, the family accuses the Uber driver of negligently leaving the area where their son exited the vehicle. On the early morning of May 21, 2023, 21-year-old Cory Hunter was one of five passengers in the car. He had fallen asleep during the trip, however, around 2:30 am he was asked to leave the vehicle to allow another passenger to vomit outside. Unfortunately, Hunter never hopped back into the car.

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A Striking Resemblance

The fear that artificial intelligence (AI) may compromise or replace individual creative expression has sparked an ongoing strike on behalf of the Writer’s Guild of America and the Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA). The rise in AI chatbots, such as ChatGPT, function to manipulate and reconfigure human writing. In an industry that relies on the development of unique ideas, fresh content, and effective acting for movies and television, such an AI tool presents a possible or likely threat to future earned projects and potential income.

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