Viewing post categorized under: Intellectual Property
Social Media Policy in the Workplace
Sep / 20

Social Media Policy in the Workplace – Who Owns an Account?

Sharon Givoni Consulting Copyright, Intellectual Property, Internet Law, Social Media

We all know that social media accounts can be a valuable asset to any business. In the early days when an account was linked to a person, ownership questions were far less contentious. However, those days are long gone, and the revenue stream which comes from social media connections means that the ownership of those […]

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Short Guide to Copyright Law in Australia
Sep / 20

A Short Guide to Copyright Law in Australia

Sharon Givoni Consulting Arts and design, Copyright, Intellectual Property, Protecting ideas, Street art

Only one thing is impossible for God: to find any sense in any copyright law on the planet.[1] – MARK TWAIN As the famous quote by nineteenth-century author Mark Twain suggests, and this guide will demonstrate, copyright may be a complex area of the law, but the underlying message is quite simple: don’t copy! The […]

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Photography without Permission
Aug / 30

Photography without Permission: Is it Always Legal to Snap?

Sharon Givoni Consulting Copyright, Intellectual Property, Photography

Many people believe that photographing people without their knowledge or consent is an invasion of privacy and therefore against the law. However, you might be surprised to learn that leaving aside the moral issues that this might raise, in Australia photography without permission it is (on the face of it) perfectly legal. This issue has […]

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BRANDING LAWS PACKAGED AND GIFT-WRAPPED

Sharon Givoni Consulting Intellectual Property, Packaging, Protecting ideas, Trade marks

Only a century ago, the attraction of consumer products was in their practical application. Soap, for example, was originally packaged in anonymous greyish bars and purchased by consumers purely for its cleaning attributes. Now, soap promises so much more – it exfoliates and softens, refreshes and revitalises (Norsca), doubles up as a “beauty aid” (Dove) […]

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Social Media Influencers – To post or not to post, that is the question

Sharon Givoni Consulting Consumer Law, Intellectual Property, Social Media

The reality is that everyone needs to post, gram and/or tweet to be in the marketplace. Marketing a business or product today requires a seemingly endless stream of content and new ways to reach new audiences. Social media influencers can be a great addition to your marketing campaign, but be sure that you do not […]

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Protecting yoga and dance moves – How far can you stretch copyright law?

Sharon Givoni Consulting Copyright, Intellectual Property, Protecting ideas

Imagine this scenario. You come up with an amazing sequence of 26 yoga poses and an accompanying dialogue so that yoga class could be taught throughout the world. People could go to a class in Australia or LA and know it would pretty much be the same. This is exactly what happened to well-known Indian […]

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Alice in Merchandise-land – the value of character and celebrity merchandising

Sharon Givoni Consulting Consumer Law, Entertainment Law, Food Law, Intellectual Property, Packaging, Protecting ideas

The value of celebrity endorsements on food advertising, packaging and labelling is indisputable, whether it be Jamie Oliver with his range of products, George Clooney for Nespresso or Serena Williams for Gatorade (and Nike… and Berlie… and…) Take-Away Tips for your business The use of images of fictional beings on products, such as cartoon characters, […]

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Close your eyes, and give me the coke bottle

Sharon Givoni Consulting Consumer Law, Food Law, Intellectual Property, Packaging, Protecting ideas, Trade marks

How to avoid legal issues when it comes to packaging Attention all packaging designers, this is for you. Before you launch your new product with shiny new packaging, it is important to consider whether you could be infringing someone else’s trade mark rights, engaging in misleading or deceptive conduct or passing off. In Australia, aspects […]

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Use it or lose it – what happens if you do not use your Trade Mark?

Sharon Givoni Consulting Consumer Law, Intellectual Property, Packaging, Retail and fashion Law, Trade marks

If you are a small business and looking to restructure, this article is a must-read to ensure you do not inadvertently put your trade marks at risk. Key points: Even if you have a registered trade mark this may not be fool proof A registered trade mark can be potentially removed by a third party, […]

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Legal perils to avoid when using social networks

Sharon Givoni Consulting Consumer Law, Copyright, Intellectual Property, Internet Law

This article considers copyright for businesses in relation to social media. Issues explored include: Who legally owns a business’ social networking account? Recommendations for drafting social media policies and what they should cover Resolving other issues that can arise from social media use such as bad publicity Social media can both help and hurt businesses. […]

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