On Wednesday, February 4, Katy Perry’s attorneys preyed on an Orlando-based 3-D printer who allegedly infringed Perry’s copyrights by printing and selling replicas of the internet-famous “Left Shark” from her halftime show performance at this year’s Super Bowl.
Fernando Sosa is a 3-D artwork printer who normally creates controversial political pieces for sale and distribution. After the dancing “Left Shark” from Katy Perry’s Super Bowl halftime show became an overnight media sensation, even being named Super Bowl MVP by SB Nation, Sosa saw it as an opportunity to connect with a different fan base. Sosa created a “Left Shark” 3-D printing and offered it through a third-party website for sale at $24.99. Knowing how dangerous it is to play with sharks, Sosa warned “Download it before it gets taken down..”
Sosa’s premonition became reality on Wednesday when he received a letter from Katy Perry’s attorneys threatening the 3-D printer. Claiming that Perry never consented to his use of the copyrighted work, his reproduction of the “Left Shark” infringed on her property rights. The attorneys demanded Sosa cease and desist selling it and that he turn over any products in his possession. Sosa appears willing to concede, stating “dictators and world leaders . . . are much easier to deal with . . . All this lawyer crap is very stressful.” If he doesn’t comply their demands, he will likely find himself at the center of a frenzy.