Farting unicorn causes kerfuffle between Elon Musk and artist

marketwatch.com

8 points·maxshmax··3 comments

Edwards’ lawyers got involved in May, claiming Tesla’s appropriation of the farting unicorn was a clear copyright infringement. “Please don’t take this as a shakedown,” Denver attorney Timothy Atkinson wrote to Tesla, according to a report by Denver-based alt-weekly Westworld. “What we are seeking instead is a discussion, and a mutual decision in a way to value the past and continuing use of the image, in a way that both sides can feel good about.”

So, if you are rich enough, you can steal someone else's work and then they have to apologize for seeking some kind of fair treatment and assert that it's not about the money? Give me a break.

Elon's reply to the effect that "we made no money on it" is not cool at all. It is some variation of "ugly American" (and only because I can't think of a similar but different phrase evoking privileged and ill mannered) but about rich people, I guess.

Musk responded: “We gained no financial benefit. Have asked my team to use a diff example going forward. He can sue for money if he wants, but that’s kinda lame. If anything, this attention increased his mug sales.”

'Cause lack of financial benefit is an "out" for copyright infringement?

Yeah he's really pulling the "don't ask permission, ask for forgiveness" card here, isn't he.

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