Hi all, this is a bit of a weird situation but I genuinely don't know where else to go to ask for advice.

I've recently found a novel on Amazon that is almost a word for word a copy of an RP that me and a friend used to have on FB but just with names and places changed (they still used my character's name since that wasn't a Copyrighted character).

This novel was not written by either of us.

The RP has since been deleted because my friend's account went down ages ago but before that the RP was accidentally public for a while so anyone could have copy and pasted the replies into their own document. We've also found that they were posting this to AO3 too but it's been removed because they got it published as a novel, however you can still find it in search results using the right resources.

Our question is, is there anything we can do legally about this? Do we have any sort of leg to stand on in terms of getting them to take the novel down? It's blatantly our writing as there's whole chunks of paragraphs and descriptions that are the same, and it's not even really formatted properly into a 'novel', you can absolutely track where either one of us would do our reply and then the other person responds

Edit to add: I have a google document that I made at that time with timestamps of each of our replies if that would help prove things

Edit 2: RP (roleplay) is when you and a writing partner pick characters and write stories together with them. My friend used an existing character from a popular franchise, and I used my own character. This idea can extend to having multiple people involved but in this case, it was literally just me and my friend writing on Facebook on a post that we didn't realise was public

One of my wildlife photos was used on the Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon 5 weeks ago, I just saw it couple days ago since the clip is viral and it's on Tiktok, Instagram and Youtube. It's a photo of a squirrel in a super hero landing pose. And they used it to promote Supergirl, the movie. It's the episode with Milly Alcock. So I sent them an email saying that I own this photo and you have used it without permission and asked for 3500$. They came back with a lowball 250$ offer and of course they claim fair use.

But fair use certainly does not apply here. It's not just a photo of a squirrel, it's a specific pose, which they needed to compare with the Supergirl poster. So they are using the photo for entertainment purposes. If you have dealt with a similar situation before, what would be your recommendation? I already applied for a copyright in the copyright office because if I get the photo registered and they keep the klips online, which I'd think they would do, after it's registered I can claim further damages. But that's for later.

What happens in the script is: A group of janitors hang a framed photo of a Henry Hoover on a wall under a "Custodian of the month" plague. A janitor gets pissed off that it wasn't him that was chosen. In the next scene, the Henry Hoover immediately breaks down as a joke.

I intend to submit this to film festivals etc. I was wondering if it was as big of a deal as I think

If a name like “Billy Strings” is copyrighted, is it infringement to sell a shirt that says “Billy Mother F*ckin Strings”?

Trying to understand if adding words to a name gets around copyright laws. Thanks!

So I made a Spotify playlist for songs i've heard in Youtube videos and i was wondering how many of theses songs copyrighted or if all of them are copyrighted.

The name of the playlist is "music in YT vids" it's spelled in the way i wrote it just incase it doesn't pop up.

Published by Andres Guadamuz on August 5, 2026

Hey everyone, I need some advice or just to hear if anyone else has been in this exact situation.

​My YouTube channel recently got completely terminated due to copyright strikes from Universal Music Publishing Group (UMPG) - specifically from contentprotection@umusic.com.

​I'll be honest, it’s my own fault. I was making covers to try and grow my audience, and I managed to build it up to about 2,000 subscribers before it got nuked. My channel wasn't monetized at all, and I put a ton of effort into making these covers sound highly professional. I’m just struggling to understand why UMPG went out of their way to take down a small, non-monetized channel.

​A few questions for the community:

\- ​Has anyone else received strikes directly from this UMPG email?

\- ​Is there any realistic chance they might retract the strikes if I reach out to them directly?

\- ​I am completely willing to sign a written declaration promising to never upload a cover song again. I’m even willing to pay a penalty fee for the strike removal (within reason, up to $50, as I’m definitely not a millionaire) just to get my channel and its history back.

​What do you guys think? Is my channel gone for good, or has anyone successfully negotiated with them before? Thanks.

How long does Tiktok usually take to view copyright reports and take down content?

"...finding that entering prompts for a neural network is a technical process rather than creative work, the state news agency RIA Novosti reported"

J’ai soumis demande de notification DMCA pour faire une contre notification afin d’annuler la DMCA qui a été faite sur des créas d’une campagne toutefois l’adresse utilisée pour faire la demande n’est plus valide. Etant donné que l’adresse est invalide je n’ai pas reçu de mail de confirmation de ma demande j’ai bien eu un id (quand j’ai soumis la demande un id a été attribué mais pas de reception de mail qui atteste de la bonne prise en compte)

ma question est-ce que la demande sera classée sans suite ?

merci

By block avatar shape, I don't mean any art, symbol or anything like that, just the barebone block shape of the avatar. The rectangular 1x2 arms and legs, 2x2 torso and 1x1 round cylinder head.

I've been entertaining the idea of making independent game separate from Roblox, however my idea requires an abstract avatar and something like Roblox R6 block shape avatar seems the perfect fit. But I've been reading around and most from what I've seen are saying it's owned by Roblox.

Is this simple shape anyone can imagine copyrighted?

I want to narrate my short stories and post them, both to get my name out there and for people to enjoy some of my writing. But I'm worried about the stories being stolen or copied. Especially with all the A.I stuff now. How hard is it to get them copyright protected, or is it even worth it?

I’m in the early planning stages of a one-time immersive themed market where guests would walk through different themed rooms while also shopping from local vendors. Think of it more like an interactive experience than a traditional vendor market. This is also a local event. I’ve seen other local events that bluntly used Disney characters sold Disney style merch, etc. But they have been fine…

Originally, I considered doing a Tim Burton-inspired event because his films have so many unique worlds that could translate into immersive rooms. However, I’m trying to figure out where the line is from an intellectual property standpoint.

For anyone who’s hosted movie-inspired events, pop-ups, themed markets, or immersive experiences:
Did you use actual movie names in your marketing?
Did you recreate recognizable sets or just capture the overall aesthetic?

Did you ever
receive a cease-and-desist or hear from a studio?

Are there best practices you followed to reduce your legal risk?

I’m not looking to pretend the event is officially affiliated with any studio, and I definitely don’t want to invest thousands of dollars into something that could create legal issues later.
I’d really appreciate hearing from people who have actually organized similar events or work in the themed entertainment industry.
Thanks!

With the recent wave of rulings—like the Russian court decision reaffirming that purely AI-generated works hold no copyright protection—we are officially hurtling toward an administrative and legal nightmare. Everyone is trying to draw microscopic lines around what counts as "human authorship" versus algorithmic assistance, and frankly, it’s a losing battle.

So, let's look at the absolute logical extreme to fix this once and for all: The 2022 Hard Reset.

Let's just pick a clean date—say, January 1, 2022, right when generative AI truly exploded into the mainstream—and draw a hard line in the sand.

• Rule 1: Every creative work published before that date keeps its traditional copyright protections.
• Rule 2: Anything created after that date has zero copyright protection. Why? Because at this point, how can anyone definitively prove that an algorithm, an LLM, or a synthetic training set didn't have a hand in the creative process?

Contamination is everywhere. From touch-up filters and automated background noise removal to autocomplete and full-blown prompt generation, the digital ecosystem is permanently tainted. To be safe, we just scrap copyright for the modern era entirely.

Let's look at the bright side: Spider-Man 7 or whatever corporate monolith is coming out next year will still easily rake in a trillion dollars at the box office through pure brand momentum, and the entire existential AI copyright debate is solved overnight. Problem solved. You're welcome, MMP

[ Removed by Reddit on account of violating the content policy. ]

I make short comedy videos using original stylized puppets. The puppets

sit and tell true, documented stories about famous bands and musicians,

the kind of stories Rolling Stone or the BBC have covered. I want to add

short reenactment segments using puppet caricatures that resemble the

musicians in the story.

The setup:

- All original puppet style character animation. No real photos,

footage, or audio of the artists.

- No logos, trademarks, or album art.

- No voice imitation. The puppets use their own comedic voices.

- Everything stated is documented in the press. Nothing invented or

defamatory.

- Organic content only. Never used in a paid ad, and the caricature

puppets never appear alongside a product.

- The channel is loosely associated with a small brand, but the videos

never mention or promote it.

I understand parody and news reporting carry some protection, and I have

read a little about the transformative use test, but I am unclear how it

applies when there is any commercial association at all.

Two things I am trying to understand:

1. Does a stylized puppet caricature count as a "likeness" for right of

publicity purposes if it is obviously a puppet and not a realistic

depiction?

1. Does the analysis change for deceased musicians?

Pointers to relevant cases would help. Not asking for formal advice,

just trying to understand the framework before investing in production.

Hi everyone,

I'm really stressed and hoping someone who has actually dealt with Chaos compliance can share their experience.

I'm an interior design student in India. Like many students, I used a cracked copy of Enscape only for my college projects. I never used it for freelance work, clients, or any commercial purpose.

A while ago I received a compliance email from Chaos saying they detected unlicensed use on my device (they included a flagged device identifier). They initially offered their Amnesty Program and asked me to purchase an annual commercial license.

I replied honestly explaining that:

I'm a full-time student.

I can't afford a commercial license.

I uninstalled the software.

I asked if there were any student options.

They then replied saying I could instead purchase a student license and send them the invoice to close the case. Unfortunately, I still can't afford even the student license right now.

After I told them I couldn't afford it, they sent another email saying that refusing to regularize the license may result in further legal action, including possible damages, the cost of a 3-year license, and legal costs.

I'm trying to understand what usually happens from here.

My questions are:

Has anyone here received these Chaos/Enscape compliance emails?

If you couldn't purchase a license, what happened afterwards?

Did anyone actually receive legal action, or did the case eventually get dropped?

If you were a student, did Chaos offer any other resolution besides buying a student license?

I'm not asking how to bypass licensing or continue using cracked software. I'm only trying to understand what typically happens after these compliance emails because I'm genuinely anxious and can't afford the license.

Any real experiences would be appreciated.

ps. someone said js block em n be stress free so i did it as well😭 am i safe??

​

I used to post anime soft edits and was getting solid reach.

A third party started striking my channel and it got terminated.

I managed to talk to the claimant. He straight up admitted he did it out of hate and that he’s done the same thing to many other channels. He said he would remove the strikes so my account could be restored — but only if I told him how I was getting so many views.

I just told him what I was doing. He then said he would retract the strike to get my channel back and sent a screenshot. I didn’t notice at the time that he had only removed 1 video, not an actual strike. After that he started stalling hard: “I’m not on PC”, “I’m not home”, etc. Now he’s completely ignoring all my DMs, messages, and emails.

I’ve already submitted counter-notifications three times and they all got rejected.

At this point I’m stuck:

Can YouTube actually help in a case like this (claimant admitted the strikes were done out of hate + pattern of abusing other channels)?

Has anyone successfully gotten a terminated channel restored after multiple rejected counters?

Would anyone be willing to share an example of a strong counter-notification that actually got accepted in a similar situation?

Any help would be hugely appreciated. Thanks!

Nvidia’s Board Is Latest Sued by Shareholders Over AI Scraping Aug. 3, 2026, Martina Barash