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Apple Forces Steve Jobs Action Figure Off eBay

Hugh Pickens writes "Kevin Parrish writes in Tom's Guide that last month, just in time for Christmas holiday gift-giving, M.I.C. Gadget began the manufacture and sale of a Steve Jobs action figure featuring an oversized head, Steve's trademark black shirt/blue jeans outfit, and a new iPhone 4 like a magical world-saving talisman in Jobs' left hand. The action figure, selling for $79.90, came with an Apple logo stand and cartoon balloons for writing custom messages. Soon a warning letter from Apple stated that the figurine violated a California statute prohibiting the use of a person's likeness in a product without prior authorization and sales ceased. But shortly after production stopped, the figurines began to appear on eBay selling for up to $2,500. Now Apple's lawyers have raided the online marketplace, zeroing in on one Canadian eBay seller who had already sold the figurine for $1,125 and eBay has removed other listings, telling sellers that the object for sale 'violates a celebrity's right of publicity.'"

3 of 233 comments (clear)

  1. Don't be ridiculous... by denzacar · · Score: 2, Informative

    This is Slashdot.
    Only company we are allowed to indiscriminately hate and make fun of is Microsoft. Sorry... Micro$oft.

    Other corporate entities are free game from time to time - but never Apple.
    Also, badmouthing Linux, penguins in general and in some cases Natalie Portman will almost certainly get you in serious trouble.

    --
    Mit der Dummheit kämpfen Götter selbst vergebens
  2. Re:Where's that in the Constitution? by davev2.0 · · Score: 4, Informative

    It is not in the Constitution and the U.N. charter of human rights doesn't matter. The right in question is a legal right granted by the state of California.

  3. Re:Where's that in the Constitution? by jonbryce · · Score: 3, Informative

    It is not in the constitution, it is in California state law.