Here’s another example of someone using copyright / trademark laws to stifle criticism. The Yes Men created a parody of the National Rifle Association, and the NRA responded by forcing the takedown of 38,000 websites. Overkill?
The Yes Men are a culture jamming activist duo and network of supporters created by Jacques Servin and Igor Vamos – Wikipedia.
From the Motherboard post:
The NRA takes a shot at the Yes Men, hits the entire Surge publishing service.
38,000 websites hosted by the automated publishing service Surge went down today, after the National Rifle Association sent a legal notice over a parody website created by the Yes Men.
“Systemic poverty and dumb laws keep the urban poor unable to acquire life-saving firearms.” – from the Yes Men’s parody of the NRA.
Source: NRA Complaint Takes Down 38,000 Websites | Motherboard
Unfreakinbelievable!
I understand the sentiment in that figure of speech, but technically, given who it is, it’s quite easy to believe.-)
If I’m thinking of the right people, I believe the NRA sometimes invokes the principle of freedom to justify its actions. I would have hoped that would include the freedom to parody the NRA, but apparently that hope is misplaced. I wonder if they have the mental sophistication to understand the nature of hypocrisy.
rjb