Monday, November 25, 2013

Beastie Boys Meet GoldieBlox – Can’t We All Just Get Along?

     GoldieBlox, Inc.makes toys, including toys designed for “the next generation of female engineers.” The corporation put together a two-minute commercial that it asserts is a parody of the Beastie Boys’ song “Girls.” The legal accuracy of that assertion is important to the corporation, since it may determine whether the commercial can be used and perhaps whether the Beastie Boys are entitled to damages.
     Last week, GoldieBlox filed a DJ action (a declaratory judgment action) in the Northern District of California. As a result of the filing, a judge in San Francisco will determine the issues relevant to copyright law. Is the commercial a parody? Is it a “fair use” as defined under copyright law?  
     Ignoring legal issues, we can firmly state that we love the message and the cleverness.

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