All articles tagged with #trademark
Taylor Swift’s trademark dispute with Las Vegas showgirl Maren Wade heads to court as Swift argues her album title The Life of a Showgirl is a protected expressive work and seeks to block Wade’s merch, while Wade alleges reverse confusion and asks for an emergency injunction; the judge did not issue an immediate ruling at the hearing.
Sony filed a trademark on May 20, 2026 for a new PlayStation game called Break In, signaling a potential reveal at the June 2 State of Play. The buzz online points to Break In possibly being Haven Studios’ Fairgame$, which has reportedly shifted in tone during playtests and may be rebranded. Other speculative threads have tied it to Firesprite or even Uncharted-inspired ideas. Insider Gaming also notes its Showcase on May 28 will feature 55 games, including 12 World Premieres, suggesting a busy period for new PS titles.
Matthew McConaughey has obtained eight trademarks protecting aspects of his persona—such as voice signals and short video/audio clips—in a bid to deter unauthorized AI use of his likeness. The move, granted by the USPTO after about two years of review, mirrors similar filings by Taylor Swift and aims to provide a federal enforcement tool beyond traditional rights of publicity. Legal experts warn trademarks centered on a person’s persona are narrow and may not fully stop AI-generated fakes (e.g., vocal timbre or unauthorized deepfakes), leaving questions about practical effectiveness. The strategy comes amid broader industry concern over AI in entertainment, SAG-AFTRA protections, and proposed laws like the No Fakes Act, underscoring that McConaughey’s approach is one of several tools actors are exploring to retain control over their identity in an AI-driven future.
Pocketpair filed a new trademark for 'Palworld Online' in the US and South Korea, signaling a potential branding for the game's multiplayer as it nears a 1.0 update; meanwhile Nintendo's patent challenges face hurdles, with the US Patent Office reexamining a Nintendo patent that attempted to cover a gameplay mechanic, underscoring ongoing legal tensions between the two companies.
Swift’s lawyers filed a response to Las Vegas cabaret performer Maren Wade’s lawsuit alleging that The Life of a Showgirl infringes Wade’s Confessions of a Showgirl trademark. They ask the court to deny Wade’s request for an injunction blocking Swift merch, accusing Wade of using Swift’s brand to gain attention. The filing argues there is no likelihood of confusion between the two marks, highlights First Amendment considerations, and notes differences in the marks, while citing prior related cases (including a similar Evermore Park dispute that was dropped). A May 27 injunction-hearing in Los Angeles is set as the litigation continues and Swift says it will pursue remedies for any improper use of her IP.
Taylor Swift’s legal team moved to dismiss a California lawsuit by former Las Vegas showgirl Maren Flagg Wade, who claims Swift’s album title The Life of a Showgirl infringes her Confessions of a Showgirl trademark. Swift’s brief argues there’s little chance of consumer confusion between Swift’s stadium tour and Wade’s cabaret-focused brand, accuses Wade of piggybacking on Swift’s name, and relies on First Amendment defenses for expressive work titles, while noting Wade’s own use of Swift-related imagery and that no trial date has been set.
Taylor Swift’s lawyers urge a California judge to deny Maren Flagg’s motion for a preliminary injunction over “The Life of a Showgirl,” arguing Flagg’s “Confessions of a Showgirl” branding isn’t threatened by Swift’s use, that Flagg has used Swift’s IP in social posts to bolster her brand, and that granting relief would harm Swift’s business; a May 27 hearing is set as the case progresses.
Ars Technica reports that the so‑called “Notepad++ for Mac” is not an official Notepad++ release; creator Don Ho says the Mac port by Andrey Letov uses the Notepad++ trademark without permission, prompting branding changes to NextPad++ and ongoing trademark dispute concerns. The project, described as an independent, AI-assisted port, is not officially supported by the original Notepad++ team and raises questions about ongoing updates and potential malware risks in unvetted ports.
Notepad++ creator Don Ho says the macOS port of the Windows editor is unauthorized and not affiliated with the official project, calling it fake and misleading. The port's developer will rebrand and rename the Mac app and its site in version 1.0.6 to respect the trademark, with continuity for existing users as the transition occurs; the unofficial port will continue under a new identity while Notepad++ remains Windows-only.
Trump nominated Dr. Nicole B. Saphier, a Fox News medical contributor and radiologist, as his third surgeon general pick; the piece notes her background and reports that she previously tried to trademark the slogan “Make America Healthy Again” in 2019 but let the application lapse in 2021 due to paperwork, a detail that adds context to questions about her alignment with the MAHA movement amid ongoing vaccine and health-policy debates.
Oakland and San Francisco officials settled a yearlong trademark dispute by renaming Oakland's airport to Oakland San Francisco Bay Airport, resolving the branding clash with SFO and the Port of Oakland.
Swift filed three USPTO trademarks—two audio phrases ("Hey, it’s Taylor Swift" and "Hey, it’s Taylor") and a visual trademark for a stage photo—to block unauthorized AI use of her voice and likeness, following a Matthew McConaughey strategy. The move aims to deter AI firms and create legal leverage, though its efficacy in court remains untested; the broader issue of training-data rights and Swift’s past AI-related controversies underscore the stakes for celebrities and the public alike.
Taylor Swift filed new USPTO trademark applications for two voice clips and an on-stage image to protect her voice and likeness from AI impersonation, a rare use of sound marks that could block AI-generated clips or images; the registrations list TAS Rights Management as owner and follow similar protections pursued by others like Matthew McConaughey as entertainment IP protections adapt to AI threats.
Taylor Swift has filed three US trademark applications to protect her voice and onstage image from AI impersonations, registering a tour photo and two audio clips used to promote her music; experts say the marks could let her challenge AI-generated imitations that are even subtly similar, following a similar move by Matthew McConaughey amid growing AI misuse concerns.
Taylor Swift’s company filed three USPTO trademark applications — two sound marks for her voice (Hey, it's Taylor Swift and Hey, it's Taylor) and a visual mark of Swift on a pink stage with a guitar — to curb AI-generated impersonations and misuse of her voice and likeness; the move mirrors a similar strategy used by Matthew McConaughey and could broaden remedies beyond traditional rights of publicity.