Sports & Entertainment Beat

This post was originally published on GSB's website as a GSB client update on April 2, 2019.

On March 4^th, the Supreme Court ruled that copyright owners must wait to file an infringement suit until the Copyright Office has registered the work. The unanimous opinion, authored by Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg in Fourth Estate Public Benefit Corp. v. Wall-Street.Com, LLC, affirmed the Eleventh Circuit and resolved a split among the circuit courts of appeal. The decision has significant implications for copyright holders and contract or legislation drafters, and comes at a time of change.

Social media platforms provide a powerful, and efficient means for brands to partner with celebrity “influencers” and reach millions with something as simple as a photograph and a few lines of text. However, as demonstrated by the recent actions initiated by the leading consumer protection agency in the United States, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) stressing to influencers and marketers the importance of clear and conspicuous disclosure of brand relationships when promoting products on social media, these strategies are rife with pitfalls for brands and influencers, alike.[1] So, how do individuals and brands comply? There are no hard and fast rules, but the FTC's Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising[2] (the “Guides”), provide a general roadmap within which to operate.