Zoe's Blog

 Trademarks and Copyright have been issues for decades. With how prominent they both are, it is shocking to realize how many people do not understand how each of them work. While trademarks apply to things such as colors and sounds, copyright can be used for music, movies, artwork, literature, and in many other areas. With so much confusion surrounding what can or cannot be copyrighted, a lot of stuff gets left in grey areas.  For example, Wordle recently gained controversy over having a similar goal as a past game titled "Lingo". According to Professor Bruce Boyden, games are not copyrightable . Designs of games can be copyrighted, but the actual goal and object of a game cannot. In the case for Wordle, the New York Times do not have to worry about copyright infringement as it is a game similar to Lingo, but one with a different name, colors, and distribution. 

 Defamation is one of the vast issues First Amendment Experts constantly struggle to draw the line with. It is one of the most harmful things that can be done as it leaves a record and a possibly false impression of a person. Defamation claims were particularly high during the MeToo movement, in which many men in entertainment industries were being accused of sexual misconduct.  One example of how defamation claims have risen because of situations like these comes from 2021 when Ed Henry, a fired Fox News Host,  sued the news channel and Suzanne Scott for defaming him as a criminal.  Whether or not he is innocent of his allegations is not what is to be focused on here. Instead, this lawsuit encompasses whether or not remarks made about his reason for dismissal were in some way defamatory.