JOIN US! IPKat webinar announcement - Image rights in the age of AI: Less is more or more is better?

Like many other celebrities (think of: Scarlett Johansson or Drake), The IPKat also has a characteristic appearance – not to say: objective beauty and appeal – worth protecting against the frequent third-party misappropriation attempts.

Yet, the very protection of one’s own likeness and other personal features (for example: voice, silhouette, etc) may vary very significantly from jurisdiction to jurisdiction, with virtually no international or – to the exclusion of data protection / privacy aspects – regional (EU) level playing field .

For example: ‘image rights’ are not recognized as such in the United Kingdom; vice versa, in Italy their scope extends to mere evocation of one’s image, including after their death, and can go beyond natural persons also to encompass the image of cultural heritage artefacts like Michelangelo’s David.

Amidst all of this, trade mark filings for one’s own face are also becoming increasingly frequent: but should these registrations be granted? If so, what would be the scope of protection of the resulting trade marks?

And above all: In an age, that of AI, in which the creation and circulation of digital replicas and deepfakes has become ubiquitous, how do you protect one’s persona?

This question is currently being asked in several places: for example, the U.S. Copyright Office recently issued a report specifically tackling AI-generated digital replicas; in Europe, the question of image rights harmonization at the EU level has become a relevant and likely pressing one.

If you, like The IPKat, also wonder about how you can protect your image, then this IPKat online event, kindly hosted by international law firm Bird & Bird LLP, is where you should be!

Join us for a discussion featuring a stellar cast of panelists and seize the opportunity to hear from them!

Speakers and Moderators (in alphabetical order)

• Richard Arnold, Lord Justice of Appeal (Court of Appeal of England and Wales)
• Antonios Baris, Book Review Editor (IPKat) and Legal Intern (International Federation of Reproduction Rights Organisations (IFRRO))
• Philipp Von Kapff, Member of the Boards of Appeal (European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO))
• Abbas Lightwalla, Director of Global Legal Policy (International Federation of the Phonographic Industry (IFPI))
• Shira Perlmutter, Register of Copyrights and Director (U.S. Copyright Office)
• Eleonora Rosati, PermaKat (IPKat), Of Counsel (Bird & Bird LLP), and Professor of IP Law (Stockholm University)

When, where, and how can you register?

When, you ask? It’s Wednesday, 30 October 2024, from 18:00 to 19:30 CET.

Where? On Bird & Bird's StreamYard platform.

Please register here, and make sure that you follow all steps in the registration process! 

Please note: you will receive a confirmation email (please check your spam folder too) once you have completed the registration process correctly.