Pete Freedman
do not delete
There are a few options on the table at this point, though: For one thing, Hopeless Records says it is looking into re-doing the video without the use of anything resembling Torres or other content creators’ copyrighted material; and, for another, the label has offered to provide Torres with some compensation for its use of his creation’s likeness.
Torres isn’t necessarily a fan of either of those options. In the case of the former, he worries about backlash from Sum 41 fans (something he’s seen happen in previous copyright cases he’s been involved with, sometimes even in the form of death threats); in the latter, he says he would need a greater payment than what is currently being offered — one that he says would at the moment “not even [be] enough to cover the fees to write the contract.”
“All I’m looking for is credit and a proper license,” he says. “If they can achieve that, then the cats can easily stay up and I’ll be happy.”
The trick, however, is receiving something in return for his efforts.
“Otherwise,” Torres say, “the court can overturn my rights and I could lose everything. Copyright law is so weird; they can claim that since I don’t defend my work, then it’s free reign to use. And then everybody can steal it.”