The White House posted a video of Tim and Moby in MAGA hats. Their creators responded with a copyright lesson.
The White House faced criticism after using the educational characters Tim and Moby in a social media video wearing MAGA hats. BrainPOP, the company behind the characters, responded by posting a video explaining copyright infringement, leading to the removal of the White House's post from X.
Why it matters
The incident underscores the legal boundaries of using intellectual property in political messaging and the potential for private companies to push back against government misuse of their assets.
The White House depicted educational characters Tim and Moby in MAGA hats in a video this week. CHARLY TRIBALLEAU / AFP via Getty Images Tim and Moby are cartoons created to teach kids about science and history in the classroom. The White House, however, used Tim and Moby in a MAGA-themed video it posted to social media. Tim and Moby's creators responded with a video that teaches copyright infringement. Tim and Moby, the human-and-robot cartoon duo, are known for explaining scientific concepts and historical events to kids in classrooms across America. In a video posted by the White House this week, though, the pair were instead wearing MAGA hats and explaining why the Department of Education has "utterly failed our students." Tim and Moby's creators responded with a lesson on the nuances of copyright law.
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