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October 11th, 2022
NFTs and Intellectual Property: What Do You Actually Own?
Blockchain Technology Co-Chair Jeremy S. Goldman is quoted in the article, “NFTs and Intellectual Property: What Do You Actually Own?” published by CoinDesk. The article discusses how non-fungible token holders are looking for new ways to monetize their digital collectibles and how creators of those NFTs are seeking ways to define what collectors can and can’t do with their original artwork. Jeremy is quoted saying, “Copyright is always an ‘opt-in’ structure, meaning that NFT artists can choose whether to specify what buyers of their artwork can do.” While some NFT creators don’t explicitly outline an intellectual property license, Jeremy says, “Not specifying an IP license operates as a personal license by default.” Explaining that if an NFT project doesn't specify its IP license, it is safest for a buyer to assume that they do not own the intellectual property rights and that their use of the NFT is restricted to personal only. He adds, “For a lot of the one-of-one projects, artists are not super thrilled about letting people just go out and make use of their artwork.”
Jeremy concludes by saying, “There’s ‘a lot of mythology,’ surrounding NFT IP licenses, and there is often a misunderstanding buried within the terms of the agreement – or a lack thereof. Unless [artists] say something out loud or put something in writing, no one gets any rights until they say otherwise.”
Read the full article here.
Other Quoted
Mubi’s $24M Bet Just Made Agents Bullish Again. Here’s Why
Hayden Goldblatt is quoted in The Ankler article on Mubi’s purchase of Lynne Ramsay's film, “Die, My Love,” and what it meant for the Cannes market. He’s interviewed on “the real lessons from Cannes.” View article. (Behind paywall)
May 27 2025
A Federal Judge Ordered OpenAI to Stop Deleting Data
Daniel M. Goldberg is quoted in an Adweek article, which reported that a federal judge has ordered OpenAI to stop deleting output data from ChatGPT. This was part of The New York Times lawsuit, alleging OpenAI engaged in copyright infringement “by using ‘millions’ of articles published by the newspaper to train its AI model, which now directly competes with the Times’ content as a result.” The judge’s order seeks to preserve evidence in the Times’ case. Mr. Goldberg addressed mulitple implications of the order, which requires OpenAI to hold more data than they normally would. "That could make OpenAI more susceptible to security breaches, or shake the trust of consumers who expected their chatbot records to be deleted. There are also potential implications regarding energy use, storage and environmental impact that the judge may not have considered when making the order, Goldberg said." He also noted the order would trigger people's concerns about what it means for working with large tecnology providers.
May 21 2025
Democrat LaMonica McIver Charged: What Punishment Could She Face?
Jeremy Bates is quoted in a Newsweek article on New Jersey U.S. representative LaMonica McIver’s arrest by the Trump administration. She’s accused of allegedly assaulting, resisting, and impeding law enforcement officers in a protest against the arrest of Newark Mayor Ras Baraka. Amidst the chaos, Ms. McIver appears to have elbowed an officer. Mr. Bates told Newsweek,“‘Ethical prosecutors refrain from bringing charges that are not supported by probable cause. Here, the Mayor of Newark was charged with trespassing. Days later, DOJ dropped that charge. These facts do not inspire confidence.’” Mr. Bates also stated, “‘Before charging anyone with a federal crime, a DOJ lawyer should ask, would this prosecution be in the interest of my true client, the American people? Or is it an act of presidential malice?’” View Article
May 20 2025
