these websites are using images and names that Riot has a legal copyright to, why hasnt Riot done anything about them? especially the apps in the app store/play store that have league of legends images/names?
WoonStruck9 votesBecause that's not how copyrights work?
They are not making a profit off of their intellectual property. They are not claiming that Riot's property is their own.
Riot cannot attack op.gg, lolking, etc for the same reason a Wikipedia cannot be taken down. They display information. That's it.
They are fan sites.
Riot is in no way at risk of losing their intellectual property rights by letting these sites continue as they are.
Challenger Karma1 votes[deleted]
Deep Terror Nami3 votesThe ones claiming Riot's IP as their own are usually overseas where IP laws are virtually non existent, or the cost to pursue them isn't really worth it.
redniwediS5 votesWhat exactly would the lawsuit be about? What profit is op.gg or lolking making off of Riot's material?
Apps can easily be a completely different thing, but using pictures of League when making a website about League... No one is going to take you to court for that.
Challenger Karma1 votesop.gg is making advertisement profits, they make A LOT of money from ads because a lot of people go to those cites, they are making royalties using Riot's material
WoonStruck5 votesThey are not making royalties using Riot's material. They are making royalties using ad material. Riot is in no way losing out.
Challenger Karma1 votesyou dont have to downvote, whatabout non-free apps?
blkh11 voteswhat about non free apps?? You are paying for the creation of it. They mention League of Legends and don't take credit for any of the champs or images.
You should tell us what you think is worth suing them for.
redniwediS1 votesNot really. Their sites do have images owned by Riot, but the images are not what makes them money. They also do not claim to own the images.
The sites would function just as they are now without the images. All Riot would do by forcing them to stop using the images is create a PR nightmare for themselves. You may know a little about the legal side of things, but try looking up how public relations work before you ask questions like you did.
WoonStruck1 votesBut he DOESN'T know anything about the legal side of things, or he wouldn't be posting this at all.
Public relations has little-to-nothing to do with it, considering Riot is not at risk of losing their intellectual property rights.
If they were, they would shut the sites down regardless of public relations. Holding your intellectual property rights over certain content is that important.
redniwediS1 votesIf a company like Riot goes out of their way to try something like the OP suggests they will have a PR problem. Riot isn't already known as being a bunch of assholes, so it wouldn't just be accepted behavior from them.
If EA did it no one would be surprised, but Riot is a different story. Riot is at least somewhat attempting to keep their image good in the eyes of their players. It likely wouldn't harm them in any real way, but they do want to protect their image.
WoonStruck1 votesCopyrights aren't actually about making money with intellectual property at all.
Yes, copyrights allow you to stop people from making money by selling your intellectual property, but that's tertiary to the main purpose.
If you allow others to use your intellectual property without acknowledging that it is your IP, or if you allow others to create a product that utilizes your IP and distribute it without it being regarded as fan-made content, you stand to lose your IP rights over it. If that happens, anyone can sell your product and there is nothing you can do about it after that happens. It becomes part of what's referred to as "Public Domain".
So if Riot WERE at risk to lose their IP rights over LoL characters, they WOULD, regardless of backlash, defend their IP rights and take down the site. Especially since, if LoL characters became a part of Public Domain, people would likely recreate LoL (since nobody is satisfied with Riot's directions game-wise) and sell it themselves. And Riot wouldn't be able to do anything about it after losing their IP rights. Think DotA->DotA 2, but over game design direction instead of recreating a dated game.
However, they are not at risk, as these are informational sites about their product, so they will not take down the sites to defend their IP rights. But I promise you, if they were at risk they would remove them immediately. PR pales in comparison to the importance of IP rights.
redniwediS1 votesI'm glad we're on the same page now.
BladeSteel1 votesSo then all the companies on wiki should sue them b/c they're making A LOT of money from ads because a lot of people go to those cites, they are making royalties using (insert random company here)'s material.
iTaLenTZ2 votesThose websites generate lost of income for Riot because they help the community to grow and establish the game. It is also free advertisement. And Riot gets all that for free. Also if Riot would start a lawsuit against them they would lose a lot of goodwill from the community and they would have to make all the websites themselves etc etc
Marshbouy1 votesThey arent that kind of company and there is probably some nuance that lets them get through. Not to mention the smae thing happens with WOW, skyrim, ECT
ModEchoing1 votesReport this thread as incorrect board and move on. Nothing more to see here.
ModThe Djinn1 votes[{quoted}](name=Challenger Karma,realm=NA,application-id=A8FQeEA8,discussion-id=4WuUc48y,comment-id=,timestamp=2016-04-24T23:06:10.255+0000)
these websites are using images and names that Riot has a legal copyright to, why hasnt Riot done anything about them? especially the apps in the app store/play store that have league of legends images/names?
I don't speak for Riot, but I think those sites are practically a necessity. Having builds / stats available makes the game much more accessible for new players, and also give competitive players the information they want. It's a win-win for both Riot and the companies that run those sites.
Duke Anax1 votesI'm not a lawyer so I don't know if they could even file a Lawsuit, there are some "fair use" clauses in those copy right laws.
However they sure as heck wouldn't want to file a Lawsuit. those aren't just any sides or even a competitive product, those are speifically League of Legends Sites.
They are sides directly related to the actual product and they are even supported by Riot itself. They are pretty much part of the game and enhance it.
They don't take anything from Riot, quite the opposide, they add to the game experience and probably increase the amount of players the game retains.
Tamur1 votesQuestion: How do you Riot hasn't already given the ok for these sites to use their content?