Church faces “uphill battle” against Sony
Ekklesia reports that a game and copyright lawyer doesn’t give the CofE much chance in its fight against the Sony corporation.
Alex Chapman of Campbell Hooper Solicitors told The Escapist games magazine that buildings “permanently situated in a public place or in premises open to the public” are not subject to copyright.
Pubic buildings are generally fair game for inclusion in videogames, films, etc., and it is something that their owners just have to accept.
Simon Barrow of Ekkesia also thinks the Church is going about this the wrong way:
When Canterbury Cathedral complained about featuring in a war-game last year, we wrote to the Dean and chapter suggesting that they should use it as an opportunity to promote a positive message about peace-building and reconciliation, rather than getting into an unseemly and probably unwinnable legal case. Similar principles apply in this situation.
Let ’em sue. Anything that brings these doddery old fucks closer to bankruptcy is a good thing in my book.
Bugger. Now the idiots (Sony) have apologised!