this post was submitted on 05 Aug 2024

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6-year-old girl denied passport because she’s named after ‘Game of Thrones’ character (nypost.com)

submitted 11 months ago by MrJameGumb@lemmy.world to c/nottheonion@lemmy.world

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[–] SomethingBurger@jlai.lu 226 points 11 months ago (6 children)

Khaleesi, 6, a passport was denied — with officials telling her she needed Warner Brothers’ approval because it owns the name’s trademark.

Typical capitalist brain rot.

Shouldn't they also use the same bullshit excuse when issuing an ID card? At least make the dumb rules consistent.

[–] empireOfLove2@lemmy.dbzer0.com 84 points 11 months ago (2 children)

By this logic, everyone named Mickey should be paying Disney a royalty...

Wait shit retract delete delete DISNEY I DID JOT SAY ANYTHING DONT GET ANY FUCKING IDEAS NOW.

[–] SomethingBurger@jlai.lu 18 points 11 months ago (1 children)

Mickey is a real name, though. It wasn't invented by Disney.

Not that their lawyers would care lmao

[–] empireOfLove2@lemmy.dbzer0.com 2 points 11 months ago

Yeah if anyone ever expected copyright law or lawyers to be even remotely logical or sane, they've got another thing coming to them...

[–] Maggoty@lemmy.world 7 points 11 months ago (1 children)

Disney just announced a new IP, Empire of Love. No relation I'm sure.

[–] empireOfLove2@lemmy.dbzer0.com 2 points 11 months ago

OH FUUUUUUUUUU-

This comment has been removed due to a copyright claim by Walt Disney Corporation of America

[–] leftzero@lemmynsfw.com 27 points 11 months ago (1 children)

Aren't they aware that the TV series is based on a book series..? If anyone owns the name it'd be George R.R. Martin...

[–] candybrie@lemmy.world 11 points 11 months ago* (last edited 11 months ago) (1 children)

Did he trademark it? Did he sign that away when HBO did the TV series?

Not that it matters for a passport. But it's entirely likely a media company owns the trademark for a book character rather than the author.

[–] Cort@lemmy.world 8 points 11 months ago (1 children)

I think it would be more likely that grrm licensed the trademark and IP to HBO/Discovery rather than sell it. But I don't actually know

[–] candybrie@lemmy.world 14 points 11 months ago (1 children)

https://trademarks.ipo.gov.uk/ipo-tmcase/page/Results/1/UK00917519208

HBO owns it in the UK. Weirdly, I couldn't find an active entry in the US database.

[–] Cort@lemmy.world 8 points 11 months ago

Thanks for actually doing the research.

[–] Ilovethebomb@lemm.ee 21 points 11 months ago (1 children)

The Passport Office reportedly later called Lucy to apologize for the error.

They screwed up, and have admitted they screwed up. Did nobody read the article?

[–] Duamerthrax@lemmy.world 13 points 11 months ago (2 children)

I got half way before the pop-ups became too much.

[–] Ilovethebomb@lemm.ee 6 points 11 months ago

Fair enough.

[–] Rai@lemmy.dbzer0.com 3 points 11 months ago

Holy shit you weren’t kidding. And I’m on Firefox Focus behind a PiHole with a multi-million blocklist.

[–] Duamerthrax@lemmy.world 9 points 11 months ago

Does the WB even own that trademark? You have to manually apply for each one. Also, trademarks are specific to commercial operations and two companies are allowed to share if they aren't in the same business. I don't think trademark laws even apply here.

[–] bradorsomething@ttrpg.network 7 points 11 months ago

I still believe her actual name was Hodor.

[–] anothermember@lemmy.zip 3 points 11 months ago

Shouldn’t they also use the same bullshit excuse when issuing an ID card? At least make the dumb rules consistent.

To be fair, ID cards aren't common in the UK and passports are very common. This is quite probably the first time she's applied for any form of ID. Not agreeing with it, just saying.