Can you copyright a flag?

[ninwa]

http://www.ntnews.com.au/article/2010/01/29/119381_ntnews.html

THE Territory man who designed the Aboriginal flag says he stopped online behemoth Google from using it because they were "disrespectful" in the way they approached him.

Google planned to use a drawing of the flag as part of its redesigned logo to mark Australia Day.

The design, depicting the letters of Google as Australian animals against a night sky with the Aboriginal flag forming one O, was created by 11-year-old Jessie Du from NSW, who won a competition to feature on the search engine's homepage.

But Google caused an online furore when it posted the design - without the Aboriginal flag.

This week Harold Thomas, who lives in Darwin's rural area, said negotiations "just broke down" over his copyright to the flag.

"I'd be tickled pink to have Google use my design on their logo," he said.

"It's customary for anybody using it in a commercial situation to (pay) a fee component.

So now if we want to use the flag we have to pay him money? Wtf?

[periwinkle]

     I recently read Dick Rogers (of Rogers and Hammerstein) wanted royalties from Liverpool supporters when they started singing his song (from Carousel) You'll Never Walk Alone

[dshban]

Well, yes, because it's his own creation and thus he has intellectual property rights.

[/0]

wtf, they should have gotten him to sign a contract waiving his ownership when it became the 'Aboriginal' flag