Best Buy has backed off and apologized for sending the Laughing Squid blog a cease and desist letter over their posting on other group’s Best Buy parody shirts. Initially, Best Buy didn’t feel the blogger’s free speech rights were of importance, saying Laughing Squid was “promoting” rather than reporting.” Now Best Buy says, “…we do not object to fair and accurate reporting of fact, and respect the First Amendment rights of Laughing Squid and other bloggers to provide articles or commentary on current events. Now that we have a better understanding of your website, we regret sending you the demand letter.” Hooray, the internet wins again!
chilling effects
Best Buy Apologizes For Sending Cease And Desist Letter To Blogger For Reporting Factual Information
By 12.12.07
Best Buy Cease And Desists Blogger For Reporting Someone Else's Parody
By 12.12.07
Ok, so there’s these guys called Improv Everywhere and they like to do mass coordinated pranks inside stores. They did one where they sent a whole bunch of people in blue polo shirts and khakis to go to Best Buy and stand around. Genius. Anyway, they made some Tshirts that parody the Best Buy logo. Unfortunately, they’re selling them, so they’re infringing on Best Buy’s intellectual copyright. They get a cease and desist letter. Fair enough. Where it gets freaky is that Laughing Squid blogged about their Tshirts, and Laughing Squid got a cease and desist letter too. Bwuh? Best Buy PR said the problem was that Laughing Squid wasn’t “reporting” but was “promoting.” Ok… So bloggers aren’t journalists now, we’re promoters? Duly noted. We’ll get right on ordering kilos of coke and cutting up our enemies and dumping them in the East River.
