"So is the "100 percent that bitch" line original enough to win a copyright suit? Experts aren't so sure. Ben Depoorter, a copyright law professor from UC Hastings, points out a major barrier: short phrases are excluded from copyright protection as a way to ensure that intellectual property law isn't used to stifle free speech. "Even if it’s particularly novel, ingenious or interesting wordplay, a short sentence in and of itself does not entitle you to copyright protection," he says. (Still, Lizzo recently filed an application to trademark the phrase "100 percent that bitch" to use on merch.)"
- Date Published:10/30/2019
- Original Publication:KQED