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323 points plusCubed | 1 comments | | HN request time: 0.983s | source
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callinyouin ◴[] No.18736064[source]
Brendan Eich's defense of this scheme [0] seems a bit weak to me. Do you really think the solution is to make creators opt out? What in the world makes you think it's okay to represent people who have not asked for your assistance and take donations on their behalf? Why is it their responsibility to ask you nicely not to use their name to solicit donations?

[0] https://twitter.com/BrendanEich/status/1076187316748615680

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jonny_eh ◴[] No.18736212[source]
This must be against some kind of law, I'm not sure which though.
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pyb ◴[] No.18736815[source]
Not at lawyer, but using a third party's persona to collect money (for whatever purpose) sounds like a blatant breach of personality rights https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Personality_rights
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1. lalaithion ◴[] No.18736953[source]
At the very least it should be a violation of trademark law.

(1) Any person who, on or in connection with any goods or services, or any container for goods, uses in commerce any word, term, name, symbol, or device, or any combination thereof, or any false designation of origin, false or misleading description of fact, or false or misleading representation of fact, which—

(A) is likely to cause confusion, or to cause mistake, or to deceive as to the affiliation, connection, or association of such person with another person, or as to the origin, sponsorship, or approval of his or her goods, services, or commercial activities by another person, or (B) in commercial advertising or promotion, misrepresents the nature, characteristics, qualities, or geographic origin of his or her or another person’s goods, services, or commercial activities,

shall be liable in a civil action by any person who believes that he or she is or is likely to be damaged by such act.