FC: Associated Press threatens to sue over Elian pix parody site

[Declan McCullagh <declan () well com>]

[It seems like we're seeing a two-tier copyright system emerge on the Net. 
If you own your own server (as I do), or pay for hosting, you'll have a 
better chance of fending off specious copyright claims. For instance, if my 
coloc provider were to pull the plug on my server -- not that I think they 
would -- they'd better have a bloody good reason. But if you have a free 
web site on Geocities, watch out. Even online, or especially online, you 
get what you pay for. --Declan]

*******

http://www.wired.com/news/politics/0,1283,35958,00.html

Wazzup? Not Elián Web Parody
by Brad King

11:25 a.m. Apr. 27, 2000 PDT
The latest in a quick string of "Wazzup" commercial website parodies -- 
this one a takeoff of last weekend's Elián Gonzalez drama -- is history.

The Associated Press, which holds the copyright to the now-famous picture 
of an armed agent about to seize the 6-year-old Cuban boy from a caretaker, 
has threatened legal action against the creator of the Internet-based 
animation.

Although site creator Sean Bonner took down the site, he did not slink away 
quietly.

[...]

**********

http://www.geocities.com/elian_true/

               I'm David Tomlin with AP.

                We've already written the Geocities copyright agent about
                your unauthorized defacing and display of AP pictures on
                your site there.

                I'm writing now about the display at:
                http://www.newgrounds.com/portal/view.php3?id=266

                You are exposing yourself to liability for copyright
                infringement that can include both fines and possible
                criminal penalties. We'll go for whatever it takes to get
                our material out of your hands. Please acknowledge
                immediately that you understand and are taking down the
                display of AP pictures at the address above.

                David Tomlin
                AP 50 Rockefeller Plaza
                New York 10020
                (212) 621-1796
                dtomlin () ap org

*********

> Date:     Thu, 27 Apr 2000 13:37:55 -0500
> From: "bonrop" <bonrop () mail sixsite com>
> Reply-To: <bonrop () mail sixsite com>
> To: <declan () well com>
> Subject:  Dear Adoring Public:
> X-Mailer: <SMTP32 v991129>
>
> Dear Adoring Public:
>
> We have been aware of the parody thing since the get-go. We decided to 
> remove the movie in favor of Mr. Tomlin's letter to let everyone else in 
> on what was going on. Rest assured, the clip still exists (it's easily the 
> best thing either of us idiots has ever done, so we'd never destroy it) 
> and it will again bubble up to the surface of the information superhighway 
> before long. In the meantime, log on to www.playboy.com after 4 p.m. 
> Central Time to read more about our trials and tribulations. Oh, yeah -- 
> there are pictures of naked ladies on that site, too.
>
> www.sixsite.com/true

*************

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