Early versions of the cartoon characters Betty Boop and Pluto have officially entered the public domain, allowing creators to use them freely in video games, films and other creative projects without ...

If you’ve ever wanted to use Betty Boop in a creative project but assumed copyright law made that impossible, that assumption is officially outdated. On Thursday, January 1, 2026, Duke Law’s Center ...

FILE - Betty Boop collapses on Broadway near 49th Street as handlers work to raise the deflated helium balloon during the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York. FILE - Irving Berlin, at the piano ...

LOS ANGELES -- Betty Boop and "Blondie" are joining Mickey Mouse and Winnie the Pooh in the public domain. The first appearances of the classic cartoon and comic characters are among the pieces of ...

CLEVELAND — Last week, I could have been sued for butchering the classic American song "Georgia on my Mind" on broadcast television, but no lawyers can stop me now, because as of this week, this ...

Works from 1930 can now be used widely for free LMPC via Getty; Rachel Wisniewski/For the Washington Post Cartoons like Betty Boop, books like the Nancy Drew series, movies like All Quiet on the ...

For lovers of books, movies, characters, and more, Jan. 1 annually marks more than just a new year; it's also the start of new copyrighted items entering the public domain, making classic works ...