UK Trying To Censor Parody Video About The 2012 Olympics
from the really-now? dept
We've discussed for many years how the Olympics has a ridiculously overaggressive approach to attacking free speech for those who criticize or mention aspects of the Olympics without permission. In most locations that host the Olympics, special extraordinary laws get passed against specific expressions around the Olympics that go beyond ordinary restrictions on speech. London, it seems, has been particularly willing to bend over backwards to appease the International Olympic Committee.Take, for example, this story of a simple parody video about the 2012 Olympics that has been taken down over claims it violates the Olympics' IP rights. The video is clearly a parody, making use of the 2012 Olympics' creepy mascots, Wenlock and Mandeville, to show them in what appears to be a London riot (using some computer graphics work). The original video got about 90,000 views before being taken down. As the link above notes, there is no right to parody in the UK, so while it may be legal to have the video taken down, it's still ridiculous. The site linked above, LiberalConspiracy.org, insists that it'll keep posting the video if it gets taken down. But, as of the time I write this, I'm embedding the working version of the video, though I wouldn't be surprised if it's gone before too long.
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Filed Under: 2012, free speech, london, mandeville, olympics, parody, video, wenlock
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"Olympics' IP rights"
Hooray! Greece is saved!
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Very true, since the UK has the international clout to sue it's way out of a paper bag and not a lot more these days. On the other hand, the other way round where US law doesn't apply in the UK is seems extradition and a criminal trial is called for.
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FTFY
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If the goal of the Olympic Committee (or whoever holds the IP) was to ensure that people keep hating them, then they have succeeded brilliantly.
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If they send a DMCA takedown - sue
If the video is taken down then sue claiming your first amendment rights were violated. To me the DMCA is clearly unconstitutional, I'm surprised I haven't heard of any court cases on it
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Well they had a good start with the olympic logo... ahem!
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Olympics
If the Spartans were alive today, they would no doubt put the entire Olympic Council to the spear.
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Streisand effect
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Actually parody isn't legal of the Olympics
I thought Mike had covered this before....
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This video could have easily been legal
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This video could have easily been legal
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