Playmobil Is Upset That Its Pirate Figures Have Been Used To Illustrate The Pirate Party
from the too-flipping-bad dept
Playmobil, makers of the rather popular little toy people that many of us had as kids, has a bit of a history of being over aggressive when it comes to what it thinks you're allowed to do with the toys you've purchased. A few years ago, we wrote about how it sued over an "unauthorized" use of the toys to depict violent scenes. It seems its latest complaint is with the fact that its pirate figures have been used in photos describing The Pirate Party:In the meantime, if Playmobil does not want to be associated with the Pirate Party, perhaps it shouldn't sell Pirate Party Cups.
Thank you for reading this Techdirt post. With so many things competing for everyone’s attention these days, we really appreciate you giving us your time. We work hard every day to put quality content out there for our community.
Techdirt is one of the few remaining truly independent media outlets. We do not have a giant corporation behind us, and we rely heavily on our community to support us, in an age when advertisers are increasingly uninterested in sponsoring small, independent sites — especially a site like ours that is unwilling to pull punches in its reporting and analysis.
While other websites have resorted to paywalls, registration requirements, and increasingly annoying/intrusive advertising, we have always kept Techdirt open and available to anyone. But in order to continue doing so, we need your support. We offer a variety of ways for our readers to support us, from direct donations to special subscriptions and cool merchandise — and every little bit helps. Thank you.
–The Techdirt Team
Filed Under: control, ownership culture, pirate party, toys
Companies: playmobil
Reader Comments
Subscribe: RSS
View by: Time | Thread
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re:
Anywho, What I'm wondering is, if I purchase a treasure chest from Playmobil, is there a EULA that tells me what I can and can't do with them upon purchasing them? How am I supposed to know what the 'license' associated with those toys permits?
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: Re:
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
ZOMG!
You understand you made a toy based on pirates.
People who robbed, raped, pillaged, murders, and many other not so good things... and your worried about them being associated with a political group that some people don't think well of...
*boggle*
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
oh OH!!!!!
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
We should praising Playmobil
I am not being sarcastic.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: We should praising Playmobil
The fact they didn't yet try to use the courts is immaterial to the actions taken.
It is stupid to try and control things you sold.
There are limits to what those people can do and trying to exert influence on sold goods is just not acceptable and should never be acceptable else you find yourself being target by apparel, auto, electronics and so forth targeting others for the same idiotic reasons.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: Re: We should praising Playmobil
If the public responds with the same ridicule when a company says, 'I don't like that,' as when a different company says, 'I am suing over that,' what incentive does a company concerned with its image have not to sue? We should encourage companies to manage their images via public statements rather than through the courts, even if we disagree with those public statements.
The perfect is the enemy of the good.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: We should praising Playmobil
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: Re: We should praising Playmobil
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: Re: Re: We should praising Playmobil
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: We should praising Playmobil
Their action of not taking retarded copyright actions I give them props for that. I'm glad they could see a copyright case would turn them into a laughing stock.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
The Pirate party's attitude toward property cuts both ways
The problem with the Pirate Party's view about intellectual anarchy is that it's, well, lacking in any useful structure. If they feel that anyone can use a logo or an artistic creation for their own purposes once they purchase it, what's to stop someone from taking some Pirate Party logo swag and wearing it while burning down some hospitals? Or just wearing it while causing mayhem and then putting it on posters. Agent provocateurs do this kind of crap all of the time and it's perfectly okay in the land of intellectual anarchy embraced by the Pirate Party.
We've watched political candidates eat crow after they use some song by an artist with opposite political views. Everyone gets bent out of shape.
There are many advantages to giving the creator the right to control how their items/songs are used. It generally adds clarity to the debate.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: The Pirate party's attitude toward property cuts both ways
Get a grip man, I know you can do it. Just hunker down, chill out and put on some Allman Brothers.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: The Pirate party's attitude toward property cuts both ways
We have?
I don't think so.
The usual politician reaction to being told "no you can't use us to represent your nutbag views" is to simply pretend that they are above the law. No such politician ever ate crow over the issue.
H*ll, most of the time they completely miss the meaning of the work they're pirating an make hilarious implications.
...like Palin being a sleazy A&R man.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: The Pirate party's attitude toward property cuts both ways
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
all they do is blablabla but no fucking action(like the rest)
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re:
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: Re:
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
wait a minute
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
wait a minute
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
that's not a pirate
[ link to this | view in chronology ]