What the f#$%? The surprising legal rules about brand trademarks of sweary phrases

By Alexandra Allen-Franks, Senior Lecturer; Co-director of the New Zealand Centre for Human Rights Law, Policy and Practice and Co-director of the New Zealand Centre for Intellectual Property Law, University of Auckland, Waipapa Taumata Rau
Rob Batty, Associate Professor and Co-director of the New Zealand Centre for Intellectual Property, University of Auckland, Waipapa Taumata Rau

New Zealand’s trademark statute still rejects swear words or other terms “likely to offend”. So how did “THIS IS THE F#$%ING NEWS” win approval?

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