As of 2024, Mickey Mouse has joined figures like Winnie the Pooh and Tigger in the public domain. One of the most iconic mascots for a corporation is now open to be used by independent creatives. Many more IPs will follow if they haven't already.

Additionally, due to the prevalence of streaming, digital pirating of IP is easier than ever.

• Intellectual property enforcement - united states department of state. (n.d.). https://www.state.gov/intellectual-property-enforcement/ 

• With a few exceptions, most creatives have exclusive rights to their intellectual property. Any unethical and unlawful use of the IP by other parties can result in litigation

Writer's Guild of America

• https://www.wga.org/

• Writers have rights to their works, until they sell their script or script rights to a studio

U.S. Const. art. 1, § 8, cl. 8.

• https://constitution.congress.gov/browse/essay/artI-S8-C8-1/ALDE_00013060/#:~:text=Article%20I%2C%20Section%208%2C%20Clause,their%20respective%20Writings%20and%20Discoveries.&text=See%20Act%20of%20Apr.

• Individuals have exclusive rights to the things they make, including artworks, writings, and inventions

California Constitution:

Cal. Gov. Code § 13988.3

• https://casetext.com/statute/california-codes/california-government-code/title-2-government-of-the-state-of-california/division-3-executive-department/part-45-transportation-agency/chapter-2-intellectual-property/section-139883-sharing-records-and-information-relating-to-intellectual-property-confidentiality-of-information-shared?q=intellectual%20property&sort=relevance&p=1&type=statute&jxs=cacode,careg,casct,caapp,cawcab,calsecsrcs

• Information about government or state IP can be disclosed only with permission from the agency

• If any of the IP information is confidential, no information can be leaked in any form
  

Cal. Pub. Resources Code § 25620.4

• https://law.justia.com/codes/california/2022/code-prc/division-15/chapter-7-1/section-25620-4/

• Some IP-generated profit and benefits go to the state

Administrative Law:

Cal. Code Regs. tit. 3 § 323

• https://www.law.cornell.edu/regulations/california/3-CCR-323.1

• Inventors and creatives have exclusive rights to their IP unless otherwise specified and as long as proper documentation and verification are achieved

• Dastar Corporation v. Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation, Oyez, https://www.oyez.org/cases/2002/02-428 (last visited May 8, 2024).

• While media is in the public domain, creditless reference and use is permitted, however, if a company (or in this case, studio) reaffirms copyrights, then creditless use and reference is a violation of said copyright.

• Pub. L. 112–29, §7(a)(2), Sept. 16, 2011, 125 Stat. 313

• https://www.uspto.gov/sites/default/files/aia_implementation/20110916-pub-l112-29.pdf

• When a proceeding isn't dismissed, a board will write up a document that says whether or not an inventor copied a patented invention without permission

• https://www.wga.org/uploadedfiles/know_your_rights/creative-rights.pdf

• While writers' works are supposed to be sold or leased out to film/tv makers, their IP is still covered legally

• Contracts MUST be written before a studio gets rights to a writer's work

• https://www.wga.org/uploadedfiles/know_your_rights/creative-rights.pdf

• Writers must make sure all the steps were followed, else studios could "legally" steal your IP

• Accounts of film studios hiring writers for short bursts, then modifying the scripts to not be considered the writer's IP (dealt with in the recent WGA strikes)