Intellectual Property, Internet & Entertainment
Browse published legal information questions related to Intellectual Property, Internet & Entertainment.
Do I have to get permission before training a small AI model on copyrighted photos I bought online?
In general, buying a copyrighted photo online does not automatically give you the right to use that photo for every purpose. It usually gives you only the rights that were included in the purchase or license, and those r...
Do I have to identify which parts of my book cover were generated by AI when registering copyright?
In general, yes: if a book cover includes material created with artificial intelligence, it is often important to identify which parts were generated by AI when you apply to register the copyright. The key idea is that c...
What happens if someone outside my state posted lies about me online?
If someone outside New Hampshire posted false statements about you online, the situation may still matter in New Hampshire if the harm was felt here. In general, internet posts can create issues in more than one state be...
Is it legal to use AI to make illustrations in the style of a living artist?
In general, it may be possible to use AI to create illustrations that resemble the style of a living artist, but that does not mean the practice is always legally safe. In the United States, the answer often depends on w...
Do I have to separate human-written and AI-generated sections in my copyright registration?
In general, yes—if your work contains both human-authored and AI-generated material, it is often important to identify which parts were created by a human and which parts were generated by AI when you register the work....
How do I calculate damages if someone violated Penal Code 632 by secretly recording me?
In California, damages for a secret recording claim under Penal Code 632 are usually not calculated by a single fixed formula. The amount may depend on what kind of harm the recording caused, how the recording was used,...
How do I get out of a cell phone contract after the company raised my monthly rate by $20?
If your cell phone company raised your monthly rate, the first question is whether your contract or service agreement gives the company the right to change prices. In many consumer contracts, providers include language t...
Do I have to ask the platform to preserve evidence before the post disappears?
In general, if you think an online post, message, account record, or platform log may matter in a legal dispute, it is often a good idea to think about preservation early. Once content disappears, gets deleted, or change...
Do I have to get a model release if AI creates a realistic image of a person who looks real?
In general, maybe. A model release is most commonly discussed when you use a real person’s likeness, but AI-generated images can raise similar issues if the image is realistic enough that people could think it depicts an...
Is it legal for a business to record my phone call in Alabama without telling me?
In general, the answer depends on how Alabama recording and privacy rules apply to the call, the people involved, and whether anyone on the call consented. In many states, phone call recording rules turn on whether one p...
What are my rights if a coworker recorded me in a private office without telling me?
If a coworker recorded you in a private office without telling you, you may have privacy concerns, and the facts matter a great deal. In Illinois, workplace recording issues can overlap with privacy rights, employer poli...
What happens if an AI tool’s terms say it owns part of the output I created?
If an AI tool’s terms say it owns part of the output you created, that usually means the company is trying to reserve some contractual rights over the content generated using its service. In practical terms, that may aff...
How do I handle online defamation that is hurting my job search?
Online defamation can be especially damaging during a job search because employers may review search results, social media, review sites, or other online content before deciding whether to interview or hire someone. If f...
What happens if I record a confidential conversation only for my own notes and never share it?
In California, recording a confidential conversation can still create legal risk even if you say the recording was only for your own notes and you never shared it. The key issue is usually not what you later did with the...
What are my rights if a platform refuses to register my AI-assisted artwork as original content?
In general, your rights depend on the platform’s rules, the type of content at issue, and whether any intellectual property law actually applies to the work. If a platform refuses to register or label AI-assisted artwork...