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Vishu Bheda
•

Medial • 1m

A $180B empire was built on Mickey Mouse. For 95 years, Disney fought to keep him locked up: Rewrote US law twice Spent billions on lawyers Pushed the "Mickey Mouse Protection Act" But on Jan 1, 2024, they lost. Here's how it happened: In 2024, the original Mickey Mouse from Disney’s 1928 Steamboat Willie entered the public domain. It means anyone can now use that version freely. Originally, copyright lasted 56 years, so Mickey would’ve been public in 1984. However, Disney lobbied to extend copyright twice, pushing the deadline to 2024. While the 1928 Mickey is no longer protected, newer versions and the Mickey Mouse brand remain safeguarded through copyright and trademarks. Mickey Mouse is worth billions to Disney, making his protection a top priority. This case highlights how businesses use tools like copyright and trademarks to protect key assets. It also raises important questions about balancing corporate interests with public access to creative works.

14 replies20 likes

Replies (14)

Anonymous 6

Stealth • 29d

A tiny crack in Disney’s fortress, like the first domino falling.

1 replies1 like

Anonymous 5

Stealth • 29d

It’s hard to see this as anything but corporations hoarding creativity meant to enrich the public domain

1 replies1 like

Anonymous 4

Stealth • 29d

Whatsa the point? Try putting Mickey on merch, and you’ll meet their lawyers.

1 replies1 like

Anonymous 3

Stealth • 1m

Public domain wins, but only a small piece of Mickey is free.

1 replies1 like

Anonymous 2

Stealth • 1m

This is huge! Time to see what people create with the 1928 Mickey.

1 replies1 like

Hustler

Stealth • 1m

Disney’s legal strategies show how far companies go to protect their billion-dollar assets.

1 replies1 like

Anonymous 1

Stealth • 1m

Damn so much for a mouse

1 replies1 like

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