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Let's say I have an "infinite computer" that could iterate through and generate 1000x1000px images iterating through all colour combinations (I understand there would be waaaaaay too much data, but let's suppose). Then I go and claim these images as things I've created, and therefore make copyright claims on any image less than 1000x1000px because it's part of one of my images (ostensibly I could make claims against bigger images too, because they likely resemble some image in my library). I even go as far as to write a program to search my database for the images which I've produced which are being "copied" by the offender.

How might a case be made against me?

personjerry
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1 Answers1

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This has been asked about music. A large flaw is that independently creating something that has already been copyrighted is not copyright infringement. Copyright infringement requires copying, requires access to the original.

Law suits regarding music copyright infringement involve demonstrating that the accused composer had heard, or must have heard, the original.

Another flaw is the requirement that a copyright work be creative, implying a human creator but this is not 100% settled - from a WIPO paper -

Creative works qualify for copyright protection if they are original, with most definitions of originality requiring a human author. Most jurisdictions, including Spain and Germany, state that only works created by a human can be protected by copyright.

George White
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