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Today we’re delving into the findings of a recent co-study conducted by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office and the U.S. Copyright Office, focusing on the intersection of Non-Fungible Tokens, also known as NFTs, and intellectual property. This research was initiated in June 2022 in response to a request from Senators Patrick Leahy of Vermont and Thom Tillis of North Carolina.
To set the stage, let's talk about what an NFT is. The report defines an NFT as a unique cryptographic token recorded to a blockchain or other digital distributed ledger systems, granting the owner rights or access to one or multiple assets or entitlements.
Wading deeper into the report's findings, a few key areas of intellectual property are explored in relation to NFT. This includes an examination of the “minting” process of an NFT and its implications on the copyright owner's exclusive right of reproduction. The manner in which an NFT is stored, whether on-chain or off-chain, centralized or decentralized, could also implicate the right of reproduction. Additionally, displaying of an associated work could bring up legal questions around public display rights, particularly if the associated work is a digital phonorecord.
Enforcement is another major area tackled in the report. It notes that while the Digital Millennium Copyright Act’s notice and takedown system has been somewhat effective in removing infringing assets, the pseudonymous nature and decentralized storage of NFTs have complicated the task of identifying infringers and removing their content.
Looking at the trademark aspect, the report notes that trademarks function similarly in the NFT market as in other markets. Stakeholders, however, identified trademark infringement and misappropriation as common challenges in relation to NFTs. This is one area where the USPTO comes in, providing NFT-specific training and ensuring that the interaction between trademarks and NFTs remains consistent, predictable, and fair.
The report highlights the potential of NFT's to enhance patent portfolio management. They could make patent information, licensing, assignments, and commercialization more transparent and straightforward. With smart contracts/NFTs, tracking and controlling the distribution of royalties associated with patent licenses could be simplified.
The report also discusses various concerns regarding obtaining patent rights for NFT-related inventions based on eligibility, novelty, non-obviousness, and inventorship requirements. However, it is noted that the existing guidance is deemed sufficient to overcome the aforementioned obstacles.
Overall, the co-study acknowledges that NFTs and blockchain technology have significant potential in the IP sphere, despite the challenges. While new legislation is not deemed urgently necessary, both the Copyright Office and USPTO remain committed to updating policies and educating practitioners as both the technological and legal landscape continues to evolve.
Stay tuned for more updates on this intriguing interplay between NFTs and IP.
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