<![CDATA[well that sucks.]]>well that sucks. apparently the ALA/Freedom To Read Foundation have trademarks on the phrase "free people read freely", which i use in a lino print i made into stickers a few years ago.

i got the phrase from a 2023 speech by librarian and former ALA leader Tracie D. Hall. i didn't think to check if it was trademarked because, lol, what a wild thing to trademark. turns out the trademark had been granted two months before i made the print.

it's no big deal from a business perspective — i don't sell these stickers for much more than they cost, because i mostly just think it's an important message that i want to help people share. just a bummer.

anyway if you were wondering what happened to the stickers, now you know

(reposted this after realizing i had the chronology wrong in the OP. i originally thought all of the trademarks were filed after i made my print, but had missed the original one, which was in fact filed previously.)

]]>https://forum.fedi.dk/topic/f209877c-9e57-4c24-a0a9-0e7572223ce8/well-that-sucks.RSS for NodeMon, 24 Aug 2026 22:24:29 GMTSun, 09 Aug 2026 00:42:23 GMT60<![CDATA[Reply to well that sucks. on Sun, 09 Aug 2026 03:44:51 GMT]]>@molly0xfff Someone should trademark the trademark symbol, then everybody would agree it’s a stupid idea 🤷‍♂️😁

]]>https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://mstdn.dk/users/simonjust/statuses/117063489399519528https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://mstdn.dk/users/simonjust/statuses/117063489399519528Sun, 09 Aug 2026 03:44:51 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to well that sucks. on Sun, 09 Aug 2026 03:40:14 GMT]]>@molly0xfff So happy I grabbed a shirt and a sticker for @jaymeb when I had the chance.

]]>https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://fosstodon.org/users/abosio/statuses/117063471245109431https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://fosstodon.org/users/abosio/statuses/117063471245109431Sun, 09 Aug 2026 03:40:14 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to well that sucks. on Sun, 09 Aug 2026 03:27:50 GMT]]>@molly0xfff Free Freely, Read People!

]]>https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://gamepad.club/users/vbarreirojr/statuses/117063422485026083https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://gamepad.club/users/vbarreirojr/statuses/117063422485026083Sun, 09 Aug 2026 03:27:50 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to well that sucks. on Sun, 09 Aug 2026 02:57:20 GMT]]>@molly0xfff REAL PEOPLE READ REALLY

]]>https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://mastodon.social/users/editer/statuses/117063302526532139https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://mastodon.social/users/editer/statuses/117063302526532139Sun, 09 Aug 2026 02:57:20 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to well that sucks. on Sun, 09 Aug 2026 02:54:34 GMT]]>@molly0xfff another approach: https://plush.city/@PsyChuan/117062772363772506

]]>https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://hachyderm.io/users/aburka/statuses/117063291656466351https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://hachyderm.io/users/aburka/statuses/117063291656466351Sun, 09 Aug 2026 02:54:34 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to well that sucks. on Sun, 09 Aug 2026 02:49:48 GMT]]>@molly0xfff As much as I love and appreciate the American Library Association (ALA)--they helped out extensively with my anti-Patriot Act campaign in Nevada--you'd think they would be open culture advocates given that the mission of libraries is to make books (culture) free for all to explore. "Free people read freely" is a silly thing to trademark and antithetical to the ALA's mission. 🫤

]]>https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://mastoart.social/users/elaterite/statuses/117063272925375593https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://mastoart.social/users/elaterite/statuses/117063272925375593Sun, 09 Aug 2026 02:49:48 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to well that sucks. on Sun, 09 Aug 2026 02:46:49 GMT]]>@molly0xfff just transpose it

FREE READ
PEOPLE FREELY

you can't control the interpretation, we read freely after all
(this is not legal advice)

]]>https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://hachyderm.io/users/aburka/statuses/117063261174570613https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://hachyderm.io/users/aburka/statuses/117063261174570613Sun, 09 Aug 2026 02:46:49 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to well that sucks. on Sun, 09 Aug 2026 02:42:27 GMT]]>@molly0xfff heck yes

]]>https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://hachyderm.io/users/coreysnipes/statuses/117063244038625206https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://hachyderm.io/users/coreysnipes/statuses/117063244038625206Sun, 09 Aug 2026 02:42:27 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to well that sucks. on Sun, 09 Aug 2026 02:36:44 GMT]]>@molly0xfff

Perhaps they trademarked it through a company that provides an infringement surveillance service for clients, and that company automatically sent the nastygram to the site.

(No idea if such services exist but it seems like a no-brainer to turn a one time fee-for-service into an ongoing subscription.)

If you could get in touch with the correct person (no idea how) perhaps you could get permission. Might need to add a citation or credit to the sticker.

]]>https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://iosdev.space/users/jonhendry/statuses/117063221532921757https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://iosdev.space/users/jonhendry/statuses/117063221532921757Sun, 09 Aug 2026 02:36:44 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to well that sucks. on Sun, 09 Aug 2026 02:21:43 GMT]]>@molly0xfff

And this whole thing smells like a crock of shit.

"free people read freely" is a statement of fact. It really should not in any universe be trademarkable.

The registration 7446426 application was filed on 2023-05-03. It claiming a first use in commerce/anywhere of January 01, 1999. A bullshit "we don't really know when" date.

And more recently on Mar. 12, 2026 the fucktard foundation filed a USPTO application 99697593. "Amusingly" it is a supplemental filing for a plain word mark for use including on stickers.

Oh could their legal weenies be out trying to suppress prior use on stickers?

There appears to be an office action open for the fucktard foundation to reply to the USPTO to show proper use of the mark in trade in this new application. The publishing for opposition should happen after that is resolved.

If this was me I'd have some fun filing an opposition to that when it is published.

There are some nice threads here to be pulled by somebody wanting/able to. If only there was a foundation that promoted free speech and first amendment rights that could go after the fucktard Freedom to Read Foundation for their 1st amendments suppression. Maybe the EFF or Public Citizen Litigation Group are worth having a chat with.

(non lawyer who has dealt with a good amount of trademark and other IP stuff. Edit to correct my missuse of trademark terminology)

]]>https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://hachyderm.io/users/darryl_ramm/statuses/117063162507674399https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://hachyderm.io/users/darryl_ramm/statuses/117063162507674399Sun, 09 Aug 2026 02:21:43 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to well that sucks. on Sun, 09 Aug 2026 02:13:02 GMT]]>@molly0xfff “Peep Feeple, Freed Really”

]]>https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://mas.to/users/gadgetgav/statuses/117063128375598311https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://mas.to/users/gadgetgav/statuses/117063128375598311Sun, 09 Aug 2026 02:13:02 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to well that sucks. on Sun, 09 Aug 2026 02:11:29 GMT]]>@molly0xfff

"Anarchy Now!"?

]]>https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://kolektiva.social/users/Voline/statuses/117063122280926244https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://kolektiva.social/users/Voline/statuses/117063122280926244Sun, 09 Aug 2026 02:11:29 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to well that sucks. on Sun, 09 Aug 2026 02:01:02 GMT]]>@molly0xfff I'm wearing the shirt as I write this!

]]>https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://mstdn.social/users/jmccyoung/statuses/117063081176603465https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://mstdn.social/users/jmccyoung/statuses/117063081176603465Sun, 09 Aug 2026 02:01:02 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to well that sucks. on Sun, 09 Aug 2026 01:51:39 GMT]]>@molly0xfff or they could have just bought the stickers from you and sold them ...

]]>https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://mastodon.social/users/fullywoolly/statuses/117063044280477294https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://mastodon.social/users/fullywoolly/statuses/117063044280477294Sun, 09 Aug 2026 01:51:39 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to well that sucks. on Sun, 09 Aug 2026 01:47:41 GMT]]>@molly0xfff
Read Freely, Free People

]]>https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://xoxo.zone/users/scruss/statuses/117063028692505001https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://xoxo.zone/users/scruss/statuses/117063028692505001Sun, 09 Aug 2026 01:47:41 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to well that sucks. on Sun, 09 Aug 2026 01:31:21 GMT]]>@jessamyn @molly0xfff Seems like it was not cool of some marketplace making sure it covered its ass. I bet a license to make use of the phrase could be obtained for a small share of the profits.

]]>https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://mindly.social/users/alan/statuses/117062964454649569https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://mindly.social/users/alan/statuses/117062964454649569Sun, 09 Aug 2026 01:31:21 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to well that sucks. on Sun, 09 Aug 2026 01:29:47 GMT]]>@molly0xfff I know that the point here is that ALA are kind of being jerkfaces about copyrighting a slogan like that, but if you wanted a replacement, I've always loved this panel from the comic Girl Genius and I'd hope the Foglios would be willing to work together on a product that used the phrasing or the art.

https://www.girlgeniusonline.com/comic.php?date=20160127

]]>https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://social.coop/users/MichaelTBacon/statuses/117062958288343647https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://social.coop/users/MichaelTBacon/statuses/117062958288343647Sun, 09 Aug 2026 01:29:47 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to well that sucks. on Sun, 09 Aug 2026 01:28:49 GMT]]>@molly0xfff I would buy it.

]]>https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://twit.social/users/CodingAttempts/statuses/117062954508978612https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://twit.social/users/CodingAttempts/statuses/117062954508978612Sun, 09 Aug 2026 01:28:49 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to well that sucks. on Sun, 09 Aug 2026 01:27:18 GMT]]>@molly0xfff Did ALA complain about your stickers?

]]>https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://social.heise.de/users/newstik/statuses/117062948552034550https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://social.heise.de/users/newstik/statuses/117062948552034550Sun, 09 Aug 2026 01:27:18 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to well that sucks. on Sun, 09 Aug 2026 01:19:27 GMT]]>workshopping a new sticker

]]>https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://hachyderm.io/users/molly0xfff/statuses/117062917643303383https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://hachyderm.io/users/molly0xfff/statuses/117062917643303383Sun, 09 Aug 2026 01:19:27 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to well that sucks. on Sun, 09 Aug 2026 01:18:47 GMT]]>@molly0xfff enforcing this feels very much against ALA's values, boosting as a librarian with librarian followers

]]>https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://digipres.club/users/phette23/statuses/117062915034449011https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://digipres.club/users/phette23/statuses/117062915034449011Sun, 09 Aug 2026 01:18:47 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to well that sucks. on Sun, 09 Aug 2026 01:18:21 GMT]]>@molly0xfff NOT COOL of them. I know that part of having a trademark is that you (could) lose it if you don't defend it but still, geez, ironic and, again, not cool.

]]>https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://glammr.us/users/jessamyn/statuses/117062913348262311https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://glammr.us/users/jessamyn/statuses/117062913348262311Sun, 09 Aug 2026 01:18:21 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to well that sucks. on Sun, 09 Aug 2026 01:10:39 GMT]]>@molly0xfff that sounds like a minimally-contentious license-grant if I ever heard one
The notice of infringement is likely automated boilerplate intended to combat exploitation, not stifle (or extract from) common cause

]]>https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://mas.to/users/paneerakbari/statuses/117062883023703480https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://mas.to/users/paneerakbari/statuses/117062883023703480Sun, 09 Aug 2026 01:10:39 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to well that sucks. on Sun, 09 Aug 2026 01:07:32 GMT]]>@molly0xfff apparently free people can also be dicks about sloganeering

]]>https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://hachyderm.io/users/c0dec0dec0de/statuses/117062870774276494https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://hachyderm.io/users/c0dec0dec0de/statuses/117062870774276494Sun, 09 Aug 2026 01:07:32 GMT