<html><head><style>body{font-family:Helvetica,Arial;font-size:13px}</style></head><body><div style="font-family:Helvetica,Arial;font-size:13px"><div style="margin:0px"><p style="margin:0px;font-stretch:normal;font-size:12px;line-height:normal;font-family:Helvetica">Actually, It depends on the image source, but, it’s not likely that any image of Gates is old enough to fall into true public domain. </p><p style="margin:0px;font-stretch:normal;font-size:12px;line-height:normal;font-family:Helvetica"><br></p>
<p style="margin:0px;font-stretch:normal;font-size:12px;line-height:normal;font-family:Helvetica">Altering an existing photo is likely a violation of the original photographer’s or publisher's copyright. If you want to claim that your use of the photo is fair use, because you’ve “transformed” the existing photograph of Gates, you’ll have to bear in mind that proving fair use is a high bar. Many illustrators have violated copyrights because they didn’t realize the redoing a photo in another medium does not constitute a significant transformation. </p>
<p style="margin:0px;font-stretch:normal;font-size:12px;line-height:normal;font-family:Helvetica;min-height:14px"><br></p>
<p style="margin:0px;font-stretch:normal;font-size:12px;line-height:normal;font-family:Helvetica">However, copyright of the original image isn’t the only issue here. There’s a bigger issue — the right of publicity. Bill Gates as a celebrity gets to control how his image is used. Laws governing the right to publicity are state laws and so they vary state by state, but those laws all recognize that, in general, people get to control how their image is used commercially. (This is why photographers have to get model releases on photos they license.) Celebrities can also invoke the right to privacy in prohibiting their likeness being used without their authorization.</p><p style="margin:0px;font-stretch:normal;font-size:12px;line-height:normal;font-family:Helvetica"><br></p>
<p style="margin:0px;font-stretch:normal;font-size:12px;line-height:normal;font-family:Helvetica">If the t-shirts are being made for sale, that’s another issue (and possibly why the printer refused—they could be held liable as well as you, because it’s merchandise).</p>
<p style="margin:0px;font-stretch:normal;font-size:12px;line-height:normal;font-family:Helvetica;min-height:14px"><br></p>
<p style="margin:0px;font-stretch:normal;font-size:12px;line-height:normal;font-family:Helvetica">I share this information with you as both a member—and board member—of the Graphic Artists Guild. Here are some links that may provide more context:</p></div><div style="margin:0px"><br></div><div style="margin:0px"><a href="https://graphicartistsguild.org/fair-use-or-infringement">https://graphicartistsguild.org/fair-use-or-infringement</a></div><div style="margin:0px"><br></div><div style="margin:0px"><a href="https://graphicartistsguild.org/what-is-fair-use">https://graphicartistsguild.org/what-is-fair-use</a></div><div style="margin:0px"><br></div><div style="margin:0px"><a href="https://graphicartistsguild.org/beware-the-right-of-publicity">https://graphicartistsguild.org/beware-the-right-of-publicity</a></div><div style="margin:0px"><br></div><div style="margin:0px"><br></div><div style="margin:0px"><br></div><div style="margin:0px">Regards,</div><div style="margin:0px">Todd</div><div style="margin:0px"><br></div></div> <br> <div class="gmail_signature">
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______________________________<div><br></div><div>Todd M. LeMieux 413.237.6869<br>
[Graphic Design + Creative Direction]<br>
<br><a href="https://www.behance.net/toddlemieux">Behance</a> | <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/toddmlemieux/">LinkedIn</a><br>
<br>
<a href="https://www.behance.net/toddlemieux">Good Design Will Prevail.™</a><br>
<br>
<a href="http://connecticut.aiga.org/education2">AIGA Connecticut</a> – Member, Education Chair (former)<br>
<a href="https://www.graphicartistsguild.org/">Graphic Artist Guild</a> – Member, Executive Committee / Communications Chair, New England Regional Rep
(former)</div></div> <br><p class="airmail_on">On April 2, 2021 at 4:13:26 PM, Philip Elmer via Hidden-discuss (<a href="mailto:hidden-discuss@lists.hidden-tech.net">hidden-discuss@lists.hidden-tech.net</a>) wrote:</p> <blockquote type="cite" class="clean_bq"><span><div class=""><div></div><div>I’m no lawyer, so take this free advice for what it’s worth. My memory of my journalism law classes is that likenesses of public figures are free game for news purposes, but you may have to compensate the photographer or artist who produced the image. Use for commercial purposes is trickier, but unless you are doing something with the image that is actionable — calling him something he isn’t with reckless disregard for the truth — you’re pretty safe. My advice: Stay away from Q-Anon and the antivaxers, and you’re OK. Don’t waste your money on a lawyer. Bill Gates isn’t going to get himself in the newspapers suing a T-shirt company in Western Mass.<div class=""><br class=""></div><div class="">I wrote a magazine story once that put devil horns on Gates’ head and a spark of lightning between his fingers. He never complained. At least not to me. </div><div class=""><br class=""></div><div class=""><img id="F868E89D-53E3-4EA2-A61F-FB80C9AC804B" width="399" height="472" src="cid:957FB6FA-FDB2-48CE-99E1-E28E255AA265" class=""><br class=""><div class=""><br class=""><div><blockquote type="cite" class=""><div class="">On Apr 2, 2021, at 1:45 PM, Rich@tnr via Hidden-discuss <<a href="mailto:hidden-discuss@lists.hidden-tech.net" class="">hidden-discuss@lists.hidden-tech.net</a>> wrote:</div><br class="Apple-interchange-newline"><div class="">
<div class=""><p class="">Ouch since this is a living person, I say it is a lawyer
question, esp without knowing how stylized and the nature of the
use.<br class="">
Satire or other literary ok uses.</p><p class="">We have used Paul Rapp for some similar artistic copyright
Issues.<br class="">
Paul Rapp <a class="moz-txt-link-rfc2396E" href="mailto:paul@paulrapp.com"><paul@paulrapp.com></a><br class="">
<a class="moz-txt-link-freetext" href="https://paulrapp.com/">https://paulrapp.com/</a></p><p class="">Stay-well Rich<br class="">
</p>
<div class="moz-cite-prefix">On 4/2/2021 1:17 PM, Deborah Chandler
via Hidden-discuss wrote:<br class="">
</div>
<blockquote type="cite" cite="mid:CAGs6=wr0oZ1XAMeDjULMH7MRzaU28Ney7ka1_mSixygRipOjpg@mail.gmail.com" class="">
<div dir="ltr" class="">
<div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:times new roman,serif;font-size:large;color:#444444">Hi folks,</div>
<div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:times new roman,serif;font-size:large;color:#444444"><br class="">
</div>
<div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:times new roman,serif;font-size:large;color:#444444">Is someone here
knowledgeable about the legal right to use the likeness of a
public figure? In this case, it is Bill Gates, and the image
is a stylized high contrast black and white image of his face
that is recognizable as Gates. I am not up on these legal
issues lately, and I let my membership in the Graphic Artists
Guild lapse years ago. </div>
<div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:times new roman,serif;font-size:large;color:#444444"><br class="">
</div>
<div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:times new roman,serif;font-size:large;color:#444444">The situation is
this: The t-shirt printer is refusing to print this image on a
batch of t-shirts unless 1) we get permission from Bill Gates
and his people or 2) we use a different image that is already
in the public domain. </div>
<div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:times new roman,serif;font-size:large;color:#444444"><br class="">
</div>
<div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:times new roman,serif;font-size:large;color:#444444">This job needs to
get printed asap, and yes, we are looking for an alternative
printer who will not refuse to print the t-shirt as it stands,
while also trying to work this out with the current printer. </div>
<div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:times new roman,serif;font-size:large;color:#444444"><br class="">
</div>
<div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:times new roman,serif;font-size:large;color:#444444">I will forward the
image upon request. However, I think this is a broad-stroke
issue, not specific to the exact image we are using.</div>
<div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:times new roman,serif;font-size:large;color:#444444"><br class="">
</div>
<div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:times new roman,serif;font-size:large;color:#444444">Thanks,</div>
<div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:times new roman,serif;font-size:large;color:#444444">Deb</div>
</div>
<br class="">
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<pre class="moz-signature" cols="72">--
Rich Roth
CEO TnR Global
Bio and personal blog: <a class="moz-txt-link-freetext" href="http://rizbang.com/">http://rizbang.com</a>
Building the really big sites: <a class="moz-txt-link-freetext" href="http://www.tnrglobal.com/">http://www.tnrglobal.com</a>
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And for Arts and relaxation:
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Helping move the world: <a class="moz-txt-link-freetext" href="http://www.earththrives.com/">http://www.earththrives.com</a></pre>
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