The owners of the viral meme NFT and brand have issued an official letter against Twitter user SlumDoge Millionaire, who was promoting the $GRUMPYCAT token without their approval. This has sparked a new accusation of intellectual property infringement.
Grumpy Cat, known for its iconic pet meme status, has now entered a legal battle against Web3 creator @ProTheDoge (SlumDoge Millionaire) for alleged IP infringement. The dispute began on May 22 when Grumpy Cat’s official Twitter account shared a formal letter addressed to SlumDoge. In the letter, Grumpy Cat accused SlumDoge Millionaire of unlawfully using their copyrights to promote the web3 token, $GRUMPYCAT, without obtaining permission from the original Grumpy Cat team.
According to Twitter NFT collector @BenLashes, SlumDoge Millionaire promptly blocked Grumpy Cat following the announcement. However, this legal confrontation is only just beginning.
The significance of intellectual property rights has been a topic of intense discussion in the NFT market, which has been relatively unregulated until now. One notable IP rights lawsuit in the web3 realm involves Yuga Labs’ legal action against Ryder Ripps. Ryder Ripps had allegedly utilized Yuga Labs’ intellectual property from Bored Ape Yacht Club (BAYC) in his own NFT project, titled RR/BAYC. Ultimately, Yuga Labs emerged victorious in the trial.
Another instance of a cease-and-desist NFT case emerged when luxury fashion brand Hermes accused artist Mason Rothschild of copyright infringement for his NFT collection called MetaBirkins. Rothschild’s collectibles featured slightly modified versions of Hermes’ iconic Birkin bag line. The trial for this dispute is still ongoing.
As the cease-and-desist battle between Grumpy Cat and SlumDoge Millionaire unfolds, it underscores the increasing importance of respecting intellectual property rights within the NFT space. The outcome of this legal clash will undoubtedly have implications for the future of NFT creations and their relationship with copyrighted material.
Also Read: Yuga Labs to Revamp BAKC Logo As IP Rights Controversy Heats Up
