On the final night of the Republican National Convention, a "Trump2024" banner, labeled "Promoted by Team Trump," prominently appeared on the What's Happening summary on X, formerly known as Twitter. This banner was part of a larger promotional effort during the convention.
However, it was discovered that it did a copyright infringement, as The Verge tells us in its report.
Trump's Photo Violates Copyright Law
The #Trump2024 hashtag showcased an American flag and, when clicked, triggered an animated "hashfetti" effect with flags raining down. However, the most eye-catching element was the low-resolution version of a well-known image of Trump.
This image, which shows Trump raising his fist while being lifted by Secret Service agents after an assassination attempt during a recent campaign event, resembles a photo owned by the Associated Press (AP) and taken by photographer Evan Vucci.
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Unauthorized Use of AP Photo
When asked about the image, Associated Press communications VP Lauren Easton confirmed, "This is not an authorized use of our photo," noting that the image is available for editorial use only.
Easton emphasized the AP's pride in Vucci's impactful photo and asserted their rights to the image, which has been widely used without permission on various merchandise.
X's Response and Commercial Use
In response to an inquiry from The Verge, a representative from the X press email account stated that the hashmoji and hashfetti animations are "a commercially available product."
This feature, first used during a Louis Vuitton campaign last year, has been employed by over 30 brands since then. However, the representative did not clarify whether the AP had licensed its image for this use or identify the purchaser of this commercially available product.
The prominent display of the "Trump2024" banner on X during the GOP convention, along with the unauthorized use of an AP image, highlights ongoing issues with digital content rights and promotional strategies on social media platforms.
No matter how big a personality is, there's always a need for proper licensing of photos and other media. Failure to do so can lead to potential conflicts when iconic images are used in commercial promotions.
Donald Trump vs Joe Biden on EVs
A separate report from Bloomberg says that Trump has a different plan for electric vehicles. The former US President wants to end the EV mandate on his first day in the White House.
The plan seems to be different from what current US President Joe Biden wants. For Biden, the car industry in the country needs to bloom. With this, he envisions converting auto factories to EV production plants through the $1.7 billion investment.
