In a recent surge of copyright infringement claims, artists, journalists, and merchandise vendors are being targeted for their Luigi Mangione-related content.
Mangione, the alleged assassin of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson, has become an icon for the left, his image emblazoned on a myriad of merchandise. However, these items are now being rapidly removed from the internet due to a barrage of Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA) takedown requests.
According to Breitbart, 404Media has reported that several entities are leveraging the DMCA to target fan art and merchandise associated with Luigi Mangione. One such entity, claiming to represent UnitedHealthcare, has demanded the removal of Mangione fan art from print-on-demand retailer TeePublic. The artwork in question, a watercolor painting of Mangione by artist Rachel Kenaston, was based on surveillance footage of the alleged assassin.
Left-leaning individuals, who have been expressing their support for Mangione, may find their holiday season bereft of Luigi-themed merchandise. TeePublic has confirmed the removal of Kenaston's artwork, stating that the takedown notice was valid and issued by the rightful copyright holder. This is despite the fact that UnitedHealthcare does not hold a legitimate claim to the copyright of Kenaston's artwork.
The DMCA takedown requests are not limited to fan art. Independent journalist Marisa Kabas has also received a takedown demand from a lawyer purporting to represent the Mangione family. The lawyer insisted that Kabas remove an image of Luigi Mangione and his family that she had posted on the left-leaning social media platform Bluesky. The image, however, had been publicly available on the campaign website of Maryland assemblyman Nino Mangione.
The Lumen Database, a public record of DMCA takedown requests, has revealed several other instances of claims targeting Luigi Mangione-related content. These include requests filed by individuals named Samantha Montoya and Manh Nguyen, who have targeted merchandise bearing the slogan "Deny, Defend, Depose" and incorporating elements of the UnitedHealthcare logo. The association of these individuals with the ongoing copyright disputes remains uncertain.
While the wave of DMCA takedown requests continues to sweep across the internet, the question of legitimate copyright ownership remains unanswered. The removal of Mangione-related content, particularly those without clear copyright infringement, raises concerns about the potential misuse of copyright laws to suppress certain viewpoints.
Login