takedown demand<\/a>, acknowledging that Minnesota activist Dan McCall\u2019s parodied merchandise does not violate intellectual property rights and is fully protected.<\/p>\nOn June 1, the PAC sent notices to Zazzle.com and Cafepress.com \u2013 two online merchants \u2013 demanding they remove designs that use the PAC\u2019s logo or slogan as part of criticism directed at Hillary Clinton. McCall\u2019s design, which was being sold on T-shirts, mugs, bumper stickers and more, altered the slogan \u201cI\u2019m Ready for Hillary\u201d to \u201cI\u2019m Ready for Oligarchy.\u201d<\/p>\n
Public Citizen on Monday sent a letter to the PAC, arguing that McCall\u2019s design was protected both under the intellectual property laws as well as the First Amendment. The letter gave the PAC three days to retract its takedown demand before Public Citizen would file a lawsuit.<\/p>\n
\u201cAlthough it should never have gone this far in the first place, we are pleased that the Ready for Hillary PAC recognized Dan McCall\u2019s free speech rights and rescinded its takedown demands,\u201d said Paul Alan Levy, attorney at Public Citizen. \u201cThis win shows that parody merchandise does not violate any federal laws, and we hope that online merchants recognize this in the future before immediately removing merchandise due to a takedown demand.\u201d<\/p>\n
Earlier this week, CafePress agreed that parody designs are protected by the First Amendment as well as by the doctrine of fair use and resumed selling the merchandise. Late last night, after the PAC retracted its notices, Zazzle returned the items to its website.<\/p>\n
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