US Copyright Office declares Alfonso Ribeiro doesn’t own The Carlton dance amidst Fortnite lawsuit
The use of iconic dance moves in popular videogames has become a point of debate in recent months, and that includes Alfonso Ribeiro’s iconic ‘Carlton’ routine.
Earlier in 2018, Alfonso Ribeiro took legal action against Epic Games regarding the use of The Carlton as an in-game emote in Fortnite.
Now, it seems the lawsuit has crumbled with the US Copyright Office (via The Hollywood Reporter) having refused to register Ribeiro as the copyrighted owner of the cited work.
“The combination of these three dance steps is a simple routine that is not registrable as a choreographic work,” explains Saskia Florence, a specialist in the Copyright Office’s Performing Arts Division.
Related: Upcoming PC Games
According to Florence, a copyrighted work must be more comprehensive, including “a related series of dance movements and patterns […] into an integrated, coherent, and expressive whole.”
So, it appears that brief dance routines that only take a matter of seconds to bust out aren’t substantial enough to warrant copyright ownership, which is where Ribeiro has been left out in the cold.
The suit is yet to conclude and isn’t necessarily doomed for Ribeiro, and it will be interesting to see how it develops from here and defines how popular dance routines are used in gaming going forward.
Elsewhere, Microsoft’s Forza Horizon 4 has removed both The Floss and Carlton in a recent patch, likely to avoid any potential legal grumblings.
What do you think about the use of popular dances in Fortnite? Let us know on Facebook and Twitter @trustedreviews.
Editorial independence
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
Editorial independence
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
