Wednesday, August 04, 2004

Online cartoonists sued: Canada's Globe and Mail reports the creators of the popular Internet cartoon that satirizes President Bush and Sen. Kerry are being sued by the copyright holder of Woody Guthrie's folk song This Land Is Your Land for using the tune without permission.

Ludlow Music complains the parody has caused substantial harm to the value of Guthrie's song, and has asked Jib Jab Media to remove the cartoon and provide an accounting of all revenues derived from it. Acting on behalf of creators Gregg and Evan Spiridellis, the Electronic Freedom Frontier responded that the use of the music is protected by the fair use doctrine of U.S. copyright laws.