3 Count: Fashionable Copyright

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1: Using Lyrics Without Permission Has Not Caused Any “Irreparable Harm” to Music Publishers Says Anthropic in Injunction Dispute

First off today, Chris Cooke at Complete Music Update reports that AI firm Anthropic has asked a US court to deny an injunction request, saying that its use of song lyrics has not caused irreparable harm to music publishers.

The music companies filed the lawsuit, alleging that Anthropic illegally used their lyrics to train their AI system Claude and that the system would output such lyrics on command. As part of that case, the plaintiffs sought an injunction barring further use of their lyrics, which is what Anthropic is responding to.

In addition to disputing the irreparable harm claim, Anthropic also disputes that their use of lyrics is a copyright infringement. It further says it has voluntarily placed a block to prevent Claude from repeating music lyrics verbatim, even when directly prompted.

2: Ganni Beats Out Steve Madden in Case Over “Copycat” Shoe

Next up today, The Fashion Law reports that fashion brand Steve Madden has lost a copyright battle in Denmark. The Maritime and Commercial Court barred them from selling a “copycat” shoe in the country.

Competitor Ganni A/S filed the case alleging that Steve Madden was infringing the copyright of their popular Buckle Ballerina shoe. Ultimately, the court ruled in their favor, finding that Steve Madden’s shoe was nearly identical and that Ganni’s was protectable under local copyright rules.

This is in stark contrast to the United States, where fashion is generally considered a “useful article” and not granted copyright protection, even from near-clones. This case may be a warning for fast-fashion brands like Shein and Temu, which sell knock-off versions of major-label products.

3: A Wave of Major Anime Piracy Platforms Are Finally Shutting Down

Finally today, Megan Peters at Comicbook.com reports that dozens of anime piracy websites have shut down over the past few days. Many sites had been online for years and were among the largest in that sector.

According to reports, the closures include AnimeSuga, AnimeWave and 123Anime. Though it is unclear why so many sites have shuttered abruptly, the move comes after Japanese studios have become more aggressive in addressing piracy concerns.

None of the sites released statements regarding their closures, furthering the mystery. Though it is widely expected that other privacy sites will rise to take their place, studios are likely hoping that this move will push users to use legitimate services, such as Crunchyroll.

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