The t-shirt the NSA won't let you wear

[deltasigma]

Bastards! Jack booted thugs! Or at least that’s how it appears.

Two days after the world learned the National Security Agency logs practically every American phone call, the agency had started cracking down on entrepreneurs who made fun of it.

That’s according to Dan McCall, founder of politically themed T-shirt company Liberty Maniacs.
On June 5, the Guardian posted the first of many documents, leaked by former contractor Edward Snowden, that detail NSA‘s spy practices. Two days later, McCall put up a handful of T-shirts and bumper stickers for sale on the custom goods marketplace Zazzle, which distributes most of Liberty Maniacs’ goods. Each of those items had the NSA logo, plus a common joke as a slogan: “The only part of the government that actually listens.”
“Within an hour or two,” as McCall told the Daily Dot, Zazzle emailed him to say the shirt had been removed from the Zazzle site. (Zazzle didn’t respond to the Daily Dot’s request for comment, nor did the NSA.)

The shirt does seem to be available here however (shhhhh)

[Hari_Seldon]

I suppose it might be a trademark violation.

[Marley23]

It’s good satire, but that’s not really unreasonable (or unexpected).

[Gray_Ghost]

@Hari_Seldon

I suppose it might be a trademark violation.

Parody is a defense to a trademark infringement or dilution action. Though, if this article is accurate, it will cost you to go to court and win, and it can be tough to establish all of the elements for a successful parody defense. Incidentally, Salon really needs to add the rest of the National Security Agency Act of 1959 section they are claiming the NSA cited to them. As it is, I went, “Whaaaat!? The NSA can’t enjoin someone from using the acronym NSA.” The full section (15a) of the Act (codified for that section at 50 USC 3613) reads:

No person may, except with the written permission of the Director of the National Security Agency, knowingly use the words ‘‘National Security Agency’’, the initials ‘‘NSA’’, the seal of the National Security Agency, or any colorable imitation of such words, initials, or seal in connection with any merchandise, impersonation, solicitation, or commercial activity in a manner reasonably calculated to convey the impression that such use is approved, endorsed, or authorized by the National Security Agency.

Which is a little different than what Salon was claiming.

I am a fan of this particular t-shirt referencing our new electronic overlords.