“They shouldn’t be allowed to tell LeBron James that he can’t make deals to license his likeness,” he said. “The ability of the celebrity, or really anyone, to do that is an element of their personal freedom.”
HARM- artists don't get the right to be portrayed as they are
Although video game companies already pay to license copyrighted music, they may want to avoid the cost — as well as the logistical burden — of negotiating with hundreds of artists for rights to their tattoos
-HARM- The video game companies, who have to go through more legal work, and the celebrities who want to be portrayed as they are.
Artists have an incentive to sign rather than pass up a client who could be a billboard for their work.
From a business perspective it would be more feasible to strip them from the game, or to put some type of designs in the public domain on their bodies,” Prof King said. That would be a departure from the mission of publishers like 2K Games, which has tried to replicate basketball players as closely as it does their teams’ uniforms, playbooks and arenas.
:) These impacts are unintended, the goal of the copyright is just to ensure that the tattoo artists get recognition for their work.
“My tattoos are a part of my persona and identity,”
The goal of digitizing it is to accurately portray the celebrity since many people see their tattoos as a part of them.
What many people don’t realise, legal experts said, is that the copyright is inherently owned by the tattoo artist, not the person with the tattoos. For most people, that is not a cause for concern. Lawyers generally agree that an implied license allows people to freely display their tattoos in public, including on television broadcasts or magazine covers. But when tattoos are digitally re-created on avatars in sports video games, copyright infringement can become an issue.
Tattoos on famous people is being digitized
“My tattoos are a part of my persona and identity,” James wrote in a declaration of support for Take-Two and 2K Games. “If I am not shown with my tattoos, it wouldn’t really be a depiction of me.” THE NEW YORK TIMES
Summary: The right for tattoo artists to copyright their work in different mediums is explored.