Tag Archives: Copyrights

Canada, Copyrights

Copyright and Presentations: How to Avoid Presentation-Related Copyright Infringement

close-up of laptop

When building a PowerPoint presentation it can be very tempting to search the internet for the perfect photo, image, graph, or piece of music to liven up your slides and illustrate a particular point. However, if you do not pay attention to copyright you can expose yourself and your organization to potential legal liability. Similar risks can arise if an outside presenter is invited to present to your organization.

The materials used and the public presentation of the materials used in such a presentation can have legal consequences if any part of the presentation belongs to a copyright owner who has not given the necessary permission to use their copyrighted works. In 2024, we live in a digital age where these risks are ever growing due to increased reliance on online platforms to share content with colleagues, customers, and other members of the public.  

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Analysis, Canada, Copyrights, Trademark

Social Media and Copyright: What are the Common Copyright Limitations and Issues Users Face?

Social media phones

In a time when online sharing is becoming more and more complicated thanks to an ever increasing number of social media platforms cropping into existence and an equally ever increasing amount of time people are spending online, various copyright issues are bound to arise. Continue reading to learn more about the common Canadian copyright limitations and issues users may face in sharing and living in an online world.

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Analysis

PART II: Are Tattoos Protected by Copyright?

Men tattooing a person.

As detailed in Part I of this blog post, despite the fact that Canadian courts have not yet grappled with a case related to copyright and tattoos, the Copyright Act and foreign caselaw suggests that copyright very likely subsists in tattoos and that the rights to tattoos most likely reside with the tattoo artists who design and ink the tattoos on individuals’ skin. This copyright can create a host of legal problems for tattooed individuals, particularly public figures whose tattoos could end up on display and recreated across many different platforms. Continue reading for a discussion of some of the options available to those individuals who are concerned about the consequences of not owning their own tattooed image.

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Analysis

PART I: Are Tattoos Protected by Copyright?

Men tattooing a person.

Updated October 18th, 2022

As tattoos have become increasingly common, the question of whether copyright subsists in a tattoo and what that means has come to the forefront of the copyright conversation. The deep personal connection that many people feel towards the permanent ink on their skin does not change the fact that the authorship and ownership of most tattoo designs most likely does not reside with the bearers of the tattoos, but rather with the tattoo artists. This fact creates a number of issues that can range from relatively simple problems, such as tattooists being prevented from using other tattooists’ designs on others, to complicated issues, such as large video game companies being unable to recreate accurate depictions of real tattooed celebrities who have given the companies permission to use their likenesses in games.

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