Legal Underground

08/16/2025

08/01/2024

There's been some interesting progress in the space of generative AI in relation to unauthorized representations of individuals (pop reference: "deep fakes").

Dr Jordan B Peterson, for example, has asked if it would make sense to view certain harmful, unauthorized representations of this type in a manner similar to kidnapping under current criminal laws (i.e. would someone's unauthorized representation of your voice, used to commit a crime, be akin to holding you at gunpoint to read a pre-scripted demand?)

The article linked below from IPWatchdog, Inc, discusses a recently proposed US bill addressing some aspects of these matters. From author and Editor-in-Chief, Eileen McDermott, “The proposed legislation would establish a federal property right for every individual in their own voice and likeness. There are exceptions for news, broadcast, advertising/ marketing and documentary use, public criticism or commentary and ‘fleeting or negligible’ use, among others."

I wonder what a federal property right in an individual's own voice and likeness could do in the context of bad editing 🤔 mischaracterizing edits of, say, actively campaigning political candidates... Would splicing a speech to make it seem like someone said something controversial fall under an exception, or will we see more integrity coming back into journalism as a whole 🤞?

Read the above-reference article here: https://ipwatchdog.com/2024/07/31/senators-introduce-no-fakes-act-create-universal-right-control-digital-replicas/id=179705/

Senators Chris C***s (D-DE), Marsha Blackburn (R-TN), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), and Thom Tillis (R-NC) today officially introduced the “Nurture Originals, Foster Art, and Keep Entertainment Safe Act of 2024” (NO FAKES Act).

07/24/2024

One of the most interesting excerpts from this article: "patent examiners typically face more criticism for erroneously allowing a patent than for erroneously refusing one." Thoughts? Erroneously by whose standards?

by Dennis Crouch In recent years, the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) has undergone a significant shift in …

06/21/2024

Freaky Friday Biz Tip: Rely too heavily on generative AI for anything serious at your peril.

Whether it's due to early-version fallibility, erosion of common ethical/legal standards, or just plain deterioration of your own individual skills.

Here's an interesting article from IPWatchdog, Inc exploring some of these concepts in more detail:
https://ipwatchdog.com/2024/06/18/whats-your-source-plagiarism-ai-and-the-mess-weve-created/id=177606/

With the explosion of generative artificial intelligence (G*I) capabilities and its ability to produce text, video, images and other data, the use of G*I ironically endorses the wholesale copying of content to “inform” its analysis and task completion, while presenting itself as a useful tool to...

06/05/2024

Have you ever searched "copyright" and "tank man"? Interesting results. We'll see if this original and educational content gets me a takedown notice...

05/24/2024

Freaky Friday Biz Tip: When filing a trademark application or a new business registration, beware sophisticated scamming.🕵️

Here's an example sent to us in response to Legal Underground's trademark filing. If it's not from your attorney or the USPTO directly, pitch it.

If you'd like us to review authenticity of things you've received in response to filings, give us a call! 919-307-9533

05/11/2024

I'm not sure there's a better way to capture my feelings about practicing law or building a business.

04/24/2024

Feeling this heavy today... Not sure if it's properly attributed, but the sentiment certainly rings true.

04/10/2024

Loving this take on the value of smart branding efforts (think trademarks). $0 to $700M in 4 years? Might be worth learning more, yeah? Give us a call 919-714-9135.

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