Gifts / Sports & Toys

On July 5, according to China Economic Weekly - Economic Net, citing foreign media reports, as the 95-year copyright protection period of "Mickey Mouse" approaches, Disney may lose the exclusive copyright of this most representative cartoon image. The Mickey Mouse image was originally created on October 1, 1928, and by 2024, the image will enter the public domain, after which artists will be able to use it to create.

For Disney, "Mickey Mouse" created by Walt Disney in 1928 has long been the spokesperson of this huge entertainment empire. Disney has extended copyrights, including by constantly revising trademark details, but Daniel Mejeda, a media and legal expert at the University of California, Los Angeles, said, “I doubt Disney can get an additional extension of the copyright (Mickey Mouse). I think this time the copyright will really expire."

According to the US copyright protection law, Mickey's copyright protection period is 95 years, at which time the right to use his image will be released. Anyone has the right to use the Mickey image to produce merchandise or create creations without paying Disney royalties.

According to foreign media, Disney can earn $3.2 billion a year through the business model of printing Mickey on products, and this does not include Disney merchandise and theme park revenue.

Before the current copyright law was promulgated in the United States in 1998, there were two changes to the copyright law, which were inseparable from the powerful lobbying activities of Disney.

The first change in US copyright law occurred in the 1970s, when the copyright term was 56 years. According to the law at the time, Disney would lose Mickey's copyright in 1984. However, under the strong lobbying of companies such as Disney, the US Congress passed the extension of the copyright period, changing it to the creator's life plus 50 years after death, and the company's copyright is 75 years after the work is published.

The second time was in 1998. When the 75-year copyright term of the works created in 1923 was about to expire, Disney again lobbyed to make the new copyright law dubbed the "Mickey Mouse Extension Act" passed in 1998, and the copyright protection period It was extended again by 20 years, and finally became 95 years.

In the political campaign from 1997 to 1998, Disney donated a total of $800,000, and 19 of the 25 co-signers of the bill received political donations from Disney, including then-US Senator Patrick, the House Judiciary Committee Chairman Cooper.

Since 1997, Disney has spent $87 million on lobbying members of Congress. As for the lobbying strategy, it's a super secret from Disney and unknown to outsiders. Disney executives have been tight-lipped about behind-the-scenes lobbying, with spokesman Okun saying: "We think our lobbying activity is appropriate and we don't want to talk about it."

The outside world believes that this time Disney may try to lobby for an extension again, but I am afraid it will be difficult. However, even after Mickey's copyright expires, Disney can still trademark Mickey to prevent others from using it.