On a recent afternoon, the US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) shared a video that has drawn attention for its portrayal of law enforcement actions set to the Pokémon theme. The video depicts militarized police entering homes and businesses while using copyrighted imagery from the popular ’90s animated series, prompting questions about copyright infringement.
Concerns have been raised regarding the likelihood of legal action from The Pokémon Company. This company is known for protecting its brand reputation and has previously taken legal steps to enforce its rights. Don McGowan, the former Chief Legal Officer at The Pokémon Company, suggested that the company might not pursue a lawsuit in this instance.
McGowan expressed his view that the situation would likely resolve itself without formal action and indicated that even in his former role, he would have hesitated to engage in litigation over this matter. He remarked that the public reaction would probably subside and that the company would prefer to avoid drawing additional media attention to the situation.
Possible reasons for this approach include the personal stakes of some executives at The Pokémon Company, particularly those with green cards who could be affected by the current political climate. Additionally, McGowan noted that the company may wish to evade negative press associated with a legal dispute.
As questions regarding the future actions of The Pokémon Company linger, observers are left to consider the implications of DHS’s use of a well-known brand in its messaging and the responses it may provoke within the realm of intellectual property rights.
Source: https://www.theverge.com/news/784312/pokemon-lawyers-wont-sue-dhs-for-that-video-former-legal-head-predicts