NYU Law Forum—Memes on Memes and the New Creativity

Whether viewed from the perspective of copyright law, which values creativity, or First Amendment law, which prizes a robust marketplace of ideas and political discourse, memes matter. They are a paradigm of contemporary creativity, and a powerful form of contemporary speech, often with significant political consequences. Because of the fundamental role copying plays in their production and their reliance on the visual image, they are emblematic of current-day cultural expression. Indeed, memes herald a much larger shift that is underway in creativity across a range of areas, including music, dance, and visual art, making the issues memes present of increasing and widespread significance. At this Forum, Professors Amy Adler and Jeanne Fromer will draw on their combined expertise in the First Amendment, intellectual property, and art law to place a phenomenon of our digital era into a broader legal, historical, and cultural context. The discussion is based on their forthcoming article in the NYU Law Review.

Participants

Amy Adler – Emily Kempin Professor of Law, NYU Law

Jeanne Fromer – Professor of Law, NYU Law

To join this Forum as an audience member and receive a Zoom link, please register. If you would like to submit a question for the panelists, you may do so on the registration page. Note on accessibility: This virtual event requires an internet connection and a computer or smartphone. The event will have live captioning. If you need any accommodations, or for any questions, please contact Ian Anderson at ian.anderson@nyu.edu.