Does Disney own three circles?

[nrose101]

Just wondering if you do something with three circles on it does it infringe on Disney as a copyright? Really need the help

 

[dianeschlicht]

I would suppose it depends on if you will profit from it or not. That is the real issue with copyrights.

 

[LIDisneyFan]

Or if not enforcing your rights will adversely affect your ability to do so with others in the future. That's one reason Disney quotes for not allowing schools to put on their own versions of Disney production. Not that the schools will profit, but by not enforcing their rights, they will have difficulty enforcing them when a for-profit group tries the same thing.

Just something I read once.

 

[lil mermaid]

Do the three circles look like a Mickey head?????

 

[DrTomorrow]

Yes they do!

You should have heard the screaming when they sued the International Olympic Committee - they claimed that the middle three rings violated their rights.

 

[Geoff_M]

I would suppose it depends on if you will profit from it or not. That is the real issue with copyrights.

You better tell that to the recording industry, who's currently going after people that are sharing copyrighted music for free.

 

[Kermit]

It's not so much whether you make money or not--it's whether they lose money. In the case of someone painting Disney characters on the wall at a school, Disney could have made a wallpaper mural that they could have purchased, then Disney would have made money. However, the school case is a tricky one, because Disney doesn't want their characters displayed as if they're endorsing that school. That's another way Disney could theoretically make money with schools. There's no reason that they couldn't make their own line of Disney-accredited preschools, so the one that got sued couldn't use their characters.

Companies do have to be vigilant about defending their copyrights. If they set a precedence of just not caring, when they do decide to sue someone, that person can cite examples of when the company didn't sue, and that person can win. I think that asprin is one product that used to be a trademarked company name, but they didn't defend it, and now it's just a common name.

 

[madonna31]

If it looks like a head and two ears - absolutely!

Disney put a copyright on that back in the late 60's.

Trust me - my engagement ring is Mickey's head; 3 stones, big one for the head - 2 smaller one's for the ears. My BIL was the only jeweller who would make it for my then b/f because of the copyright laws on it.

 

[GeorgeG]

I'll never look at a pretzel again without wondering...

I would think Disney would own the Mickey Mouse image and anything specifically designed to duplicate that image, perhaps the three ring design in the right proportions that is intended to represent Mickey Mouse.

If you create something solely for your own use or enjoyment and not to sell or distribute, I doubt Disney's lawyers will be kicking in your door. Think of the millions of photos people take of Mickey and all the other Disney properties. Disney even encourages taking the photos, but don't make copies to sell.

I think intent is a big part of this issue.

Hmm... I seem to remember Balentine Ale promoting the "Three Ring Sign" back in the 1950s. Oh well, goes well with pretzels...