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EFF Sues Barney Producers over Spoof Sites

Posted by ryuzaki0 on from the can't-we-all-just-get-along dept.

PetManimal writes "The Electronic Frontier Foundation is suing the company that produces 'Barney and Friends' for harassing the creator of a Barney parody Web site. Barney producers Lyons Partnership has threatened lawsuits over the past few years against Stuart Frankel and his parody site, actions which the EFF says violates freedom of speech and fair use laws. The parody site contains doctored images of Barney, and claims the purple dinosaur is the Antichrist. From the article: 'Lyons Partnership has sent multiple cease-and-desist letters to Frankel for a Web page that includes a depiction of the fuzzy purple dinosaur as Satan. In an October letter, Lyons demands that Frankel immediately take down copyrighted images of Barney. The company threatens to take legal action or contact Frankel's Internet service provider if he doesn't comply.'"

13 of 154 comments (clear)

  1. Barney's got a brand new bag by Red+Flayer · · Score: 4, Funny

    I sue you
    They sue me
    We're all part of a
    Lawyer-enriching Copyright industry that contributes little to the public good.

    Does that rhyme?

    --
    "Trolls they were, but filled with the evil will of their master: a fell race..." -- J.R.R. Tolkien on Olog-hai
    1. Re:Barney's got a brand new bag by Tackhead · · Score: 2, Funny
      > I sue you
      > They sue me
      > We're all part of a
      > Lawyer-enriching Copyright industry that contributes little to the public good.

      To the Lyons partners,
      Dewey Cheatem, Howe,
      Up yours, Barney.
      Pay Stu now.

    2. Re:Barney's got a brand new bag by Goweropolis · · Score: 5, Funny

      Ladies and gentlemen of the jury, I'm just a big purple dinosaur. I fell on some ice and later got thawed out by some of your scientists. Your world frightens and confuses me! Sometimes the honking horns of your traffic make me want to get out of my BMW.. and run off into the hills, or wherever.. Sometimes when I get a message on my fax machine, I wonder: "Did little demons get inside and type it?" I don't know! My primitive mind can't grasp these concepts. But there is one thing I do know - when a man like the defendant makes fun of big purple rhyming dinosaurs, then he is entitled to no less than two million years in jail. Thank you.

      R.I.P. Phil Hartman, Unfrozen Caveman Lawyer

    3. Re:Barney's got a brand new bag by CODiNE · · Score: 2, Funny

      No but this does.

      I love sue
      Sue happy
      Litigatious family

      With a great big team
      Of lawyers just for you
      Don't you say I'm Anti-foo!

      --
      Cwm, fjord-bank glyphs vext quiz
  2. Barney...Isnt he dead? by dontbflat · · Score: 2, Funny

    I thought I killed that guy in HL2. Maybe I'll get him in HL3

  3. One Line Of Legal Defense by Steve+B · · Score: 5, Funny
    The parody site contains doctored images of Barney, and claims the purple dinosaur is the Antichrist.


    I dunno about copyright infringement, but they should be safe from any defamation charge -- truth is an absolute defense.

    --
    /. If the government wants us to respect the law, it should set a better example.
  4. Ean St Eane by pottymouth · · Score: 3, Funny



    I thought people would learn not to mess with Barney when he had Ean St Eane kneecapped.... Geez, I wouldn't want to get on his bad side.

  5. Doctored Kerry photo. by krell · · Score: 2, Funny

    "during a poltical campaign, some photograph of Kerry giving a speech years ago is doctored. I think there is some precedent there"

    I doctored it, and then I undoctored it.

    --
    Where were you when the voynix came?
  6. Better take down my Steve Ballmer parody site! by pandrijeczko · · Score: 3, Funny
    ...because on there I've mentioned about him having a long golden mane of hair, being a lover of fine antique chairs and being a wonderfully agile dancer, equal in agility to Nureyev.

    Better take it down quick before Microsoft come after me!

    Do you think they'll let me keep up the bit about him saying "Linux is like a cute little Golden Retriever puppy that everyone wants to cuddle forever"?

    --
    Gentoo Linux - another day, another USE flag.
  7. True Story by StressGuy · · Score: 4, Funny

    Years ago, I worked as a civilian contractor at an Army Guard base. One of the secretaries there was a bit heavyset and a bit "top-heavy" as well. One day, she comes in wearing a purple sweater and somebody makes an obligitory Barney reference, at which point, she flips him off

    Would that be considered fair use?

    --
    A goal is a dream with a deadline
  8. Good 'ole Barny by dubdays · · Score: 2, Funny

    ...claims the purple dinosaur is the Antichrist.

    Well, I guess the truth hurts.

  9. Why isn't Satan suing? by XenoPhage · · Score: 2, Funny

    Perhaps the producers of Barney want the images removed because it's giving Satan a bad name? Hell, if I were Satan, I'd be suing Mr. Frankel for defamation of character.. Everyone know Barney is MUCH worse than Satan...

    --
    XenoPhage
    Technological Musings
  10. Well, now ... by ScrewMaster · · Score: 2, Funny

    Barney may be the Antichrist (and I'm not saying he isn't) but there are an awful lot of lawyers that definitely qualify as minions.

    --
    The higher the technology, the sharper that two-edged sword.