I Sue You, You Sue Me, We're An Unhappy Web Family…

from the hello,-parody dept

Four years ago, we wrote about how the folks behind Barney, the big stuffed purple dinosaur thing, had a problem understanding parody and fair use. Apparently, years of explanations haven’t helped. They’ve been continually harassing the owner of a parody website with baseless cease-and-desist letters. While they keep threatening him, they have yet to actually sue — but it’s not fun to be on the receiving end of a string of cease-and-desist letters, especially when you feel you’ve done no wrong. The EFF has finally stepped in and asked a court to tell Barney’s lawyers that parody is protected free speech and to leave him alone. It appears that Barney, who on his website says “Let’s have fun with manners today,” doesn’t think that respecting fair use is good manners.


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Comments on “I Sue You, You Sue Me, We're An Unhappy Web Family…”

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14 Comments
Sanguine Dream says:

Damn...

It seems to me that Barney’s lawyers know they have a weak case. That would explain why they keep sending those letters instead of taking serious legal action. They think they can bully this site owner into giving up with out a fight. Textbook RIAA/MPAA strategy, threaten and badger them until they get scared and settle instead of fighting it out.

Because I know if I were one of Barney’s lawyers and I genuinely thought I had a case I would warned them once then taken real action if they didn’t take the content down.

Adam says:

Barney Patch

Hey… Just a novel though of remembrance, when somoen came out wiht a popular game patch that plugged BARNEY in the popular DOOM 1st person shooter game.

In an erie voice, the monster would sing in a loop “I luv you….you luv me…”and it would occasionaly stuter (I think intentionally).

Definately added to the enjoyment level of shooting the monster, which when killed would say in a low voice inflection “Won’t you say you luv me to”… or however the heck it went….

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