Disney and Universal have filed a joint lawsuit against Midjourney, alleging that the firm has committed copyright infringement with its AI image generation platform.

Midjourney first entered open beta in 2022 and has received a series of updates since then, allowing for more accurate and advanced images. Users are able to create images through text prompts including the likes of Shrek, Darth Vader, Buzz Lightyear and a host of other copyrighted characters.

In a filing at the District Court for the Central District of California, Disney and Universal state: “By helping itself to Plaintiffs’ copyrighted works, and then distributing images (and soon videos) that blatantly incorporate and copy Disney’s and Universal’s famous characters—without investing a penny in their creation – Midjourney is the quintessential copyright free-rider and a bottomless pit of plagiarism.”

While Midjourney typically filters out, or heavily alters, prompts with trademarked names, users are able to skirt the restrictions...

Parents
  • In the US, copyright for cartoon characters in movies (such as Mickey Mouse) is 95 years when owned by a company - this means that any movie first shown after  1930 is covered by copyright laws.

    If the character is used as a "Trade Mark" then coverage is forever.

    So it appears that the lawsuit against Midjourney" in the US is valid.

    However copyright laws in other countries may have different criteria.

    Peter Brooks
    Palm Bay FL.

Comment
  • In the US, copyright for cartoon characters in movies (such as Mickey Mouse) is 95 years when owned by a company - this means that any movie first shown after  1930 is covered by copyright laws.

    If the character is used as a "Trade Mark" then coverage is forever.

    So it appears that the lawsuit against Midjourney" in the US is valid.

    However copyright laws in other countries may have different criteria.

    Peter Brooks
    Palm Bay FL.

Children
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