Fact Checking Blogs Uncover IP Violations

May 29, 2005

I must say that I’m very happy to report about two (2) blog entries that have recently come to my attention.  I’ve always known that bloggers have the ability to highlight issues that traditional media can’t or won’t cover.  These two (2) entries expose alleged copyright infringement separately commited by GMA 7’s Debate show and Bayo, the clothes company.

As to the alleged Bayo infringement,  it appears that Bayo is using adaptations of a Japanese artist’s work for their Kids of Bayo campaign.  I must say that based on the info presented in the blog entry, this appears to be a clear case of infringement.  Of course, noone’s heard from Bayo just yet and they may have a legitimate defense.  But I would think that in all likelihood, there’s been some copying done here.  This is not to say that the good folks at Bayo knew of the copying.  I would like to think this was the handiwork of a rogue employee or a consultant.  But since the copying was done by Bayo, the owner of the pictures will have recourse against the company.

In the second instance, the opening billboard (OBB) of GMA 7’s Debate program is so similar to that of MTV’s Ultimate Spin.  If the information presented is true, this seems like a clear case of copyright infrigement as well.   Of course, who knows if the copyright owner of the copied work will complain. 

Regardless how the lawyers will handle these two (2) cases, I am happy that these things are reported in the blogosphere.  It’s an indication that bloggers can contribute to society in other ways.  Their personal musings about their lives and experiences document our age in an unprecedented way and will provide historians with a treasure trove of information.  But more than that, some blogs will have an impact on society by reporting on events that will otherwise go unnoticed.  In these cases, these blog entries do not place Filipinos in a favorable light but at least they also show that Filipinos do care about intellectual property rights — that we’re not all pirates.

How we move forward from this depends on all of us. For my part, I’d like to volunteer to represent the victims of the infringement.  Paper Dull invites us to write Bayo and make them aware of the problem.  However you choose to act, just remember that were it not for blogs, you never would have known of these things nor taken any action. 

BTW, thanks to Janette Toral for leading me to these blogs.