Craft Focus - August/September 2022 (Issue 92)

88 NFTs a cautionary tale The World IP Day 2022 theme was IP and Youth – Innovating for a Better Future. Dids Macdonald, CEO of Anti Copying in Design (ACID) shares a cautionary tale about NFTs The world around us is drastically changing and it is necessary for us to adapt to new and evolving challenges. It is our youth, full of enthusiasm, fresh ideas, and creative ingenuity, who will pave the way down new creative roads. Ultimately, they will lead the way with innovative ideas to create new jobs, re-build and stabilise the economy, and reinvigorate industry with smarter, cleaner, and greener initiatives. New technologies such as AI and Blockchain are growing, it is imperative that our system and IP law moves at the same rate, to ensure creatives don’t get left in the dust of nefarious fraudsters, who will no doubt be ahead of the game on learning how to disrupt these new technologies. With that in mind, we would like to share a cautionary tale of a young ACID member, a talented artist, just beginning to venture into sharing her work with the world, with pride. She was cut down in the most distressing way when her artwork was being sold on blockchain sites as NFT’s. She sadly, had no-one to turn to, and no support. Here’s her disheartening story.

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