Mickey Mouse: A Symbol of Expired Copyright

Mickey Mouse: A Symbol of Expired Copyright

Business

The 1928 short film “Steamboat Willie” featuring Mickey Mouse and Minnie Mouse will enter the public domain in 2024. This milestone marks the first time that Mickey Mouse, an iconic and quintessential piece of intellectual property, will be free from Disney’s copyright. Although there are still limitations and restrictions on the use of the character, this event has significant implications for copyright law and discussions about broader public ownership of creative works.

New Tool Empowers Artists Against AI

New Tool Empowers Artists Against AI

Technology

Artists now have a tool called Nightshade that can disrupt the functioning of AI models by making subtle changes to images used in training. Developed by computer science professor Ben Zhao, Nightshade tricks machine-learning models into misinterpreting images, causing them to malfunction. This tool may help address the power asymmetry between technology companies and artists, as it discourages companies from scraping artists’ work without consent. Nightshade could shift the AI sector towards obtaining consent and compensating artists for their contributions.