Neil Hughes
A Canadian eBay seller contacted AppleInsider on Tuesday to share that they had sold a popular, rare Steve Jobs figurine on the bidding site. It went for a final price of $1,125, but eBay soon after allegedly canceled the listing.
A note from eBay indicated that the website had removed the listing due to a complaint received directly from Apple. It was said that the object "violates a celebrity's right of publicity."
"The rights owner or an agent authorized to act on behalf of the rights owner, Apple Inc., notified eBay that this listing violates intellectual property rights," the letter reads. "When eBay receives a report of this type of violation, we remove the listing to comply with the law."
That particular listing is no longer available on eBay. However, some figurines remain available for sale on eBay, calling into question whether Apple's legal action was an isolated incident, or evidence of a coming crackdown.
One listing on eBay reads "APPLE HAD ALL STEVE JOBS ACTION FIGURE AUCTIONS REMOVED! BUY IT NOW SO YOU CAN GET ONE! HURRY! NO GUARANTEE THAT THIS AUCTION WILL RUN A FULL DAY!"
The Steve Jobs figurine gained attention over the weekend, when one of them apparently sold on eBay for $2,500. The website MIC Gadget began selling them in November, but was promptly sent a cease and desist letter from Apple.
Apple's complaint to the website cited California Civil Code Section 3344, "which prohibits the use of any person's name, photograph or likeness in a product without that person's prior consent."
Source: eBay
The figurine shows Apple's chief executive in his trademark black mock turtleneck, blue jeans, and New Balance sneakers. He is shown holding up an iPhone, and is standing on a white Apple logo.
A charismatic figure who has legions of fans, Jobs is also very secretive with regards to his personal life. When Jobs experienced health troubles in recent years, he insisted that his condition was a "private matter."
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34 Comments
He likes control.
"violates a celebrity's right of publicity."
Isn't publicity what every celebrity desires??!
Apple's complaint to the website cited California Civil Code Section 3344, "which prohibits the use of any person's name, photograph or likeness in a product without that person's prior consent."
Hasn't Steve learned that laws don't matter! Health care not in the Constitution and a congressman says he doesn't care about the Constitution. Give you two guesses which party! Head of the IRS and Chairman of Ways and Means oversee projects that are far above their level to comprehend.
A charismatic figure who has legions of fans, Jobs is also very secretive with regards to his personal life. When Jobs experienced health troubles in recent years, he insisted that his condition was a "private matter."
"private matter" - And yet it was only now that Apple took down the Wikileaks app? Incredible?!
Apple defends its logo pretty vigorously. That's why they want to stop sales of the figurine.
If Steve Jobs were a famous actor, he could sue for an injunction against others profiting from his likeness without his permission. But he's a CEO, he gets paid $1 a year, and although he's a top-notch showman, he doesn't get paid for it.
He likes control.
And raising the asking price for products with an Apple logo.
Isn't publicity what every celebrity desires??!
I think company executives are exempt from this to some extent though. TV and movie celebrities promote themselves heavily because they are the product they sell. Although Steve has said things like he 'wants to put a ding in the universe', I don't think it's that he wants his own identity to be that ding but what he does.
I kind of get that impression about all of the top people at Apple. They seem very private and are mainly passionate about what they do. We know very little about them and it's not a bad thing. Some people want their privacy and as individuals who don't promote themselves, I think they deserve it just as we would expect to.
It's easy to get into the frame of mind that people like Steve are different from people you see every day but they aren't. I don't think I'd like strangers to have plastic replicas of me in their house especially if the replica wasn't up to my standard. Those models don't look that good at all.
They could of course be planning to make future Mac recovery disks like this and they just want to kill the competition. The iMiniMe.
"private matter" - And yet it was only now that Apple took down the Wikileaks app? Incredible?!
Hello. Thanks for bringing in something that not only has ABSOLUTELY NOTHING to do with what you've quoted, but is only intended to raise ire and pick up this train of conversation and throw it into the Pacific. Please don't post again until you've come up with something that makes sense within the context of this thread.
I mean, HONESTLY.
To be on-topic myself, health is a private matter. That Steve was sick should have been accurately and honestly reported as a function of his requirements as an executive and to the company. However, you (meaning anyone outside his family, facilities, and friends) have absolutely no right to know with what he is sick, much less have a 'play-by-play' on his recovery.