Tommaso Fia

eSports and Copyright between choreographies and UGC

Tommaso Fia / 21 March 2019 / Consumers, Copyright, Gaming and Betting, General, Intellectual Property, IP, Sport

There are a number of copyright issues related to the choreography of an eSports game. In these days the first (and most important) regards the protection of choreographic elements (i.e. a dance) which could appear in videogames. In Europe and in the USA, a choreographic work is protected by copyright. This is why an extended series of dances moves that is original to its creator can be protected by copyright. The above explains the law suits recently filed in the USA at the end of 2018 by several individuals in connection with famous Fortnite videogame.

If you are not familiar with Fortnite, players can buy (or earn) emotes, short avatar animations who can replicate generic acrobatic moves and dances. The Fortnite Loser Dance (so called L Dance) become famous thanks to the French soccer player Griezmann, who used this theme after scoring in the last World Cup 2018 final against Croatia.

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Top 3 Predictions for copyright in 2019

Tommaso Fia / 8 January 2019 / General

Copyright law is an evolving force. Indeed, its pivotal feature is human creativity – something hard for mankind to get rid of. So, what will happen in 2019 in copyright law in Italy and elsewhere? What are the main trends in copyright law for the next year?

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The Pros and Cons of the new EU Geo-Blocking Regulation

Tommaso Fia / 3 December 2018 / Commercial, Consumers, Copyright, General, Internet & E-commerce, IP, IT & Sourcing

Everyone knows that State frontiers were a serious challenge to the exchange of products and services within the European Union. Then, after reaching the so-called Schengen acquis, Member States managed to tear down internal borders and ensure a well-functioning circulation of products over the Union. The new EU Geo-Blocking Regulation is a further step towards the freedom of services throughout the European Union.

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Can AI artworks be copyright protected? Some thoughts after the Edmond de Belamy’s case

Tommaso Fia / 2 November 2018 / General

We all know that artificial intelligence (AI) has limitless potential, that goes beyond the power of human imagination. But what if AI starts creating pieces of art?

This does not seem that new, since we’ve already got used to technologies making creative stuff. Today, 3D printers produce artifacts that in the past we used to do with our own hands. Recent applications of AI to visual art adds another piece (even broader) to this mosaic. Indeed, analytics and reuse of large amounts of data relating to old creative works, digitally copied and reproduced by way of complex systems of AI, can transform machines into creators of brand new artworks. How is this possible?

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“Consumers, engagez-vous!”: The draft Directive on Consumers’ Collective Actions

Tommaso Fia / 10 August 2018 / General

In this post I will dwell on the new collective actions for the protection of consumers’ interests provided for in the EU proposed legislation named the “New Deal for Consumers”.

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Italian Supreme Court grapples with Consent to Data Processing in a recent case

Tommaso Fia / 10 July 2018 / Commercial, Consumers, Data Protection, General

On 02 July 2018, with judgment no. 17278/2018, the Italian Supreme Court (Corte di Cassazione) took an important stand on the notion of consent to personal data processing for marketing purposes. Let’s see what the case is about and what are the main points of Supreme Court decision.

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