Blog
Threading the Needle: Distinguishing True Threats from Provocative Humor
Prof. Laura E. Little and Maxwell Klenk (Temple University School of Law)
While the First Amendment of the United States Constitution prevents the government from restricting expression based on its ideas or subject matter, …
Punching Up or Kicking Down? Satire and Body Shaming in Meloni’s Italy
Dr Alberto Godioli (University of Groningen)
On July 17th, the judge in Milan’s Fifth Criminal Section ordered Italian journalist Giulia Cortese to pay €5,000 in damages to Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni (in addition to …
Save the Date: Public Event on Humor and Free Speech Toolkit
A public event on humor and free speech will take place at Columbia University in New York on 25 October 2024, 3pm-5pm EDT. It will be hosted by Columbia Global Freedom of Expression, …
Billions of Blue Blistering Barnacles! French Court of Appeal says parody needs a specific humorous intent for copyright use
Dr Sabine Jacques (University of Liverpool)
Mr. Marabout is a painter known for his works that blend visual art with the “strip art” movement, where the artist incorporates comic strip cultural references to …
Meta, Moderation and the Satire Exception
Dr Jennifer Young (University of Groningen)
Meta still seems to be having issues with humorous content, satire in particular. The Oversight Board (the Board) – which oversees Meta’s moderation decisions about content posted on Facebook, Instagram and Threads – has …
New Parody Exception in Danish Copyright Law: What You Need to Know
Dr Sabine Jacques (University of Liverpool)
In just a few days, a new parody exception in Danish copyright law will come into effect (Section 24 b). This change follows significant developments in the Little …
Vidal v Elster: Manhood, Methodology, and Free Speech
Prof. Laura E. Little and Hailey McHugh Gilles (Temple University School of Law)
Continuing its string of decisions focusing on trademark parodies, the U.S. Supreme Court handed down last week its decision in Vidal v. Elster, once again reminding …
Louis Vuitton vs Pooey Puitton: A sticky situation for commercial trade mark parodies
Dr Sabine Jacques (University of Liverpool), 8 May 2024
Whether one can use a trade mark for humorous purpose is a contentious issue. In a recent decision by the Paris Tribunal of First Instance, the …
ISHS Conference & Webinar on Humor and the Law
The annual conference of the International Society for Humor Studies (ISHS) will take place online on April 19th-21st. Please click here for the full schedule, including details on the double panel ‘LOLz and the Law: Online Humor in …