Apple Forces Steve Jobs Action Figure Off eBay

Posted by timothy on Saturday December 25, 2010 @12:33PM from the hope-you-got-in-on-the-ground-floor dept.

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.'"

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Re:Normal and good by happymellon · 2010-12-25 14:34 · Score: 5, Insightful

Since you seem to be still trolling, can you give us a reason why someone should be able to have absolute control over their likeness?
Are you saying that satire should be illegal, or impersonation artists? Down with SNL! Elvis impersonators are evil!
You do not have absolute control over your likeness, and never had.