Latest news with #intellectualproperty
Khaleej Times
10 minutes ago
- Business
- Khaleej Times
UAE, US sign statement to accelerate patent granting procedures
UAE and the US signed a statement that seeks to accelerate patent granting procedures in the UAE. This was signed on the sidelines of the 66th Assemblies of the Member States of the World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO) in Geneva, by the Ministry of Economy and Tourism and the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO). The Joint Statement of Intent is aimed at launching a bilateral cooperation programme which provides collaborative mechanisms to recognise positive examination results issued by the USPTO for corresponding Emirati patent applications. This will be implemented in accordance with applicable national laws. The focus is on industrial property rights and the development of patent registration procedures that provide flexible and efficient services which support an innovation-driven and entrepreneurial environment. This cooperation reflects the UAE's commitment to enhancing the competitiveness of its intellectual property ecosystem by adopting international best practices, stressed Abdullah bin Touq Al Marri, Minister of Economy and Tourism. He also highlighted that the partnership with the US side represents a new push to accelerate patent issuance by strengthening international cooperation and adopting advanced operational models.
Fox News
3 days ago
- Business
- Fox News
Temu sued by Kentucky for allegedly giving China ‘unfettered' access to user data
FIRST ON FOX: Kentucky's attorney general filed a lawsuit Thursday against e-commerce giant Temu, alleging that its app illegally gives the Chinese government access to Americans' user data and that the company lifts intellectual property from U.S.-owned companies. In a complaint filed in Woodford County Circuit Court, state attorneys asked for an injunction against Temu, an Amazon rival with a China-originating parent company, for what they described as "multifold" harms. Kentucky investigators identified "code-level behaviors" in the Temu app that involved the collection of users' sensitive personal data in a manner that was not secure, in violation of state consumer protection laws, the attorneys said. "These privacy and security harms are compounded both because the Temu app is purposely designed to evade detection … and because Defendants — by their own [acknowledgment] — have a portion of their operations located on mainland China, where cybersecurity laws allow the government unfettered access to data owned by Chinese businesses whenever it wishes," the attorneys wrote. The complaint alleged that Temu improperly collects users' Wi-Fi and GPS information, as well as camera data without appropriate permission. The attorneys also alleged that Temu brazenly sells products using stolen intellectual property of large and small brands, including that of Kentucky's historic horse racetrack in Louisville. "As of the date of this filing, Temu features dozens of what appear to be unlicensed products claiming to be from Kentucky brands like the University of Kentucky, University of Louisville, Buffalo Trace Distillery and Churchill Downs," the complaint reads. Temu's parent company is PDD Holdings, which originated in China but moved to Ireland. Before launching Temu in the United States in 2022, PDD Holdings founded Temu's sister company, Pinduoduo, a Chinese online retailer. Temu has become known for its heavily discounted products and aggressive advertising strategy, which included three multimillion-dollar animated Super Bowl ads last year. Temu was Apple's most downloaded free app in 2023, according to TechCrunch. Temu's tagline is "Shop like a billionaire," though its pricing structure has in recent months been disrupted by Trump's trade war with China. Kentucky Attorney General Russell Coleman said the company's "cheap products and flashy marketing" distract from more insidious problems. "Their platform can infect Kentuckians' devices with malware, steal their personal data and send it directly to the Chinese government," Coleman, an elected Republican and former U.S. attorney, said in a statement. "At the same time, they're eroding trust in some of Kentucky's most iconic brands, which could lead to job losses and hardship." The lawsuit is the latest instance of Temu coming under scrutiny, mainly by Republicans, for its ties to China, a top U.S. adversary. Last year, 20 GOP state attorneys general demanded information from Temu's ownership about allegations brought by Congress that its China-based suppliers used forced labor. Temu denied the claim at the time. Fox News Digital reached out to Temu for comment.
Daily Mail
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Natasha Lyonne left red-faced after lobbying attempt with Trump
Anti-Trump actress and AI film studio boss Natasha Lyonne (pictured) is taking on what might be her most challenging role yet - lobbying the Trump administration. The Hollywood darling is passionate about outlawing sinister uses of artificial intelligence in the glamorous industry. And she's willing to put aside her open hatred of the administration to accomplish her goals. 'My primary interest is that people get paid for their life's work,' Lyonne, 46, recently told the Wall Street Journal. The 'Poker Face' and 'Russian Doll' actress worked earlier this year to secure signatures for a letter to the White House advocating against policies allowing AI to take over the media. Securing over 400 signatures from icons like Paul McCartney, Ben Stiller and Ron Howard, the memo called on the White House to protect Hollywood's intellectual property from being gobbled up by AI companies without proper compensation. 'We firmly believe that America's global AI leadership must not come at the expense of our essential creative industries,' the March letter stated. But Lyonne is facing a problem she couldn't have anticipated. No one knows who she is on Capitol Hill, or in the White House, for that matter. Multiple top aides on Capitol Hill working on AI issues with the White House told the Daily Mail they had not heard of Lyonne - or her lobbying efforts. She 'seems like an insane person,' one Republican staffer joked after learning of her advocacy. A Democratic aide similarly shared they were unaware of the A-lister's AI push, but added 'omg I love her.' Lyonne is an unusual choice to lead Hollywood's AI lobbying push given her history of anti-Trump rhetoric. 'When I think of the kids, like the 12 year old girl that can't get an what really rips me apart,' Lyonne told the Hollywood Reporter of the Trump administration in February. She later clarified she was referring to abortions for those who were [sexual assault] victims. 'It's very weird to have, like, a showbiz guy in charge is surreal. I mean, because, well, I'm actually pretty horrified by how strategic and effective this whole thing has been,' she continued. 'It's nothing we didn't know but always a horror to see upfront.' In a post from 2020 she fundraised for Democrats, posting on X: 'There's no debate: If we #TurnTexasBlue, Trump is through.' 'What's timeline on trump's exit,' she wrote on X in October 2017. The actress even publicly endorsed Kamala Harris for president last year ahead of the election. A representative for the actress did not return the Daily Mail's request for comment. Lyonne is also a partner in a new AI film and TV venture called Asteria, an application that trains exclusively on content with permission from creators - a practice she is trying to make the industry standard. Her history of attacking the 79-year-old president is resurfacing as she tries to sway a forthcoming AI policy plan being crafted by the White House's office of Technology. The WSJ reported the plan 'could influence how U.S. copyright rules are applied to training large language models,' and a lobbying effort on both sides of the issue has begun. Large firms like OpenAI and Google have argued that if the copyright restrictions Lyonne is pushing for are adopted, American companies could lose the AI race to China. Currently, multiple lawsuits have resulted in rulings favorable to both sides of the debate. Disney and Comcast's Universal both sued the firm Midjourney for allegedly using their copyrighted works to train its AI image generator.
The Independent
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- The Independent
Disney sues company it claims is selling illegal Mickey Mouse jewellery
The Walt Disney Co. has initiated legal proceedings against a Hong Kong jewellery company, accusing it of selling unauthorised Mickey Mouse merchandise. The entertainment giant filed a lawsuit in a Los Angeles federal court on Wednesday against the Red Earth Group, which operates online under the brand Satéur. Disney alleges that the rings, necklaces, and earrings within Satéur's 'Mickey 1928 Collection' infringe upon its trademark rights. The company further claims that Red Earth Group is intentionally misleading consumers into believing the items are official Disney products. Satéur, the suit alleges, 'intends to present Mickey Mouse as its own brand identifier for its jewelry merchandise and "seeks to trade on the recognizability of the Mickey Mouse trademarks and consumers' affinity for Disney and its iconic ambassador Mickey Mouse.' A message seeking comment from representatives of the Red Earth Group was not immediately answered. The lawsuit is indicative of Disney's dogged efforts to protect its intellectual property from unauthorized appropriation. Although the earliest version of Mickey Mouse entered the public domain last year after Disney's copyright expired, the company still holds trademark rights to the character. Lawyers for Disney argue in the suit that Red Earth's online marketing efforts 'extensively trade on the Mickey Mouse trademarks and the Disney brand' with language that includes describing the jewelry as great for 'Disney enthusiasts.' Such tactics indicate Red Earth was 'intentionally trying to confuse consumers,' the lawsuit says. The impression created, it says, "suggests, at a minimum, a partnership or collaboration with Disney.' The earliest depiction of Mickey Mouse, who first appeared publicly in the film short 'Steamboat Willie' in 1928, are now in the U.S. public domain. The widely publicized moment was considered a landmark in iconography going public. The lawsuit alleges that Red Earth and Satéur are trying to use that status as a 'ruse' to suggest the jewelry is legal, by dubbing it the 'Mickey 1928 Collection' and saying it is being sold in tribute to the mouse's first appearance. The centerpiece of the collection, the suit says, is a piece of jewelry marketed as the "Satéur Mickey 1928 Classique Ring,' which has a Steamboat Willie charm sitting on the band holding a synthetic stone. But there is an essential difference between copyright — which protects works of art — and trademark — which protects a company's brand. Even if a character is in the public domain, it cannot be used on merchandise in a way that suggests it is from the company with the trademark, as Disney alleges Red Earth is doing. 'Disney remains committed to guarding against unlawful trademark infringement and protecting consumers from confusion caused by unauthorized uses of Mickey Mouse and our other iconic characters,' Disney said in a statement Wednesday. The lawsuit seeks an injunction against Red Earth selling the jewelry or trading on Disney's trademark in any other way, along with monetary damages to be determined later.
Daily Mail
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
EXCLUSIVE Actress Natasha Lyonne left embarrassed as she tries to unite A-list celebrities and Trump on a critical issue
Anti-Trump actress and AI film studio boss Natasha Lyonne is taking on what might be her most challenging role yet - lobbying the Trump administration. The Hollywood darling is passionate about to outlawing sinister uses of artificial intelligence in the glamorous industry. And she's willing to put aside her open hatred of the administration to accomplish her goals. 'My primary interest is that people get paid for their life's work,' Lyonne, 46, recently told the Wall Street Journal. The 'Poker Face' and 'Russian Doll' actress worked earlier this year to secure signatures for a letter to the White House advocating against policies allowing AI to take over the media. Securing over 400 signatures from icons like Paul McCartney, Ben Stiller and Ron Howard, the memo called on the White House to protect Hollywood's intellectual property from being gobbled up by AI companies without proper compensation. 'We firmly believe that America's global AI leadership must not come at the expense of our essential creative industries,' the March letter stated. But Lyonne is facing a problem she couldn't have anticipated. No one knows who she is on Capitol Hill, or in the White House, for that matter. Multiple top aides on Capitol Hill working on AI issues with the White House told the Daily Mail they had not heard of Lyonne - or her lobbying efforts. She 'seems like an insane person,' one Republican staffer joked after learning of her advocacy. A Democratic aide similarly shared they were unaware of the A-lister's AI push, but added 'omg I love her.' Lyonne is an unusual choice to lead Hollywood's AI lobbying push given her history of anti-Trump rhetoric. 'When I think of the kids, like the 12 year old girl that can't get an what really rips me apart,' Lyonne told the Hollywood Reporter of the Trump administration in February. She later clarified she was referring to abortions for those who were rape victims. Lyonne has a history of anti-Trump remarks despite her efforts lobbying the White House to make stricter AI restrictions 'It's very weird to have, like, a showbiz guy in charge is surreal. I mean, because, well, I'm actually pretty horrified by how strategic and effective this whole thing has been,' she continued. 'It's nothing we didn't know but always a horror to see upfront.' In a post from 2020 she fundraised for Democrats, posting on X: 'There's no debate: If we #TurnTexasBlue, Trump is through.' 'What's timeline on trump's exit,' she wrote on X in October 2017. The actress even publicly endorsed Kamala Harris for president last year ahead of the election. A representative for the actress did not return the Daily Mail's request for comment. Lyonne is also a partner in a new AI film and TV venture called Asteria, an application that trains exclusively on content with permission from creators - a practice she is trying to make the industry standard. Her history of attacking the 79-year-old president is resurfacing as she tries to sway a forthcoming AI policy plan being crafted by the White House's office of Technology. The WSJ reported the plan 'could influence how U.S. copyright rules are applied to training large language models,' and a lobbying effort on both sides of the issue has begun. Large firms like OpenAI and Google have argued that if the copyright restrictions Lyonne is pushing for are adopted, American companies could lose the AI race to China. Currently, multiple lawsuits have resulted in rulings favorable to both sides of the debate. Disney and Comcast's Universal both sued the firm Midjourney for allegedly using their copyrighted works to train its AI image generator. Meanwhile, judges sided with companies Meta and Anthropic in two separate cases last week, ruling that copyrighted media can be used to train models in certain fair use cases when the content created is considerable different than the source material. The administration has yet to take a side on the matter, and according to the WSJ, officials are considering staying out of the fight altogether. People familiar with the matter disclosed to the outlet that they are not sure if officials will take sides due to the legal complexities and political downsides of supporting one side over another. The administration's AI action plan is expected to be released later this month.
