The terror attacks on the offices of satirical French magazine Charlie Hebdo last week left many shocked and appalled. However, out of the hatred and despair came #JeSuisCharlie, a positive message of hope where the world stood together in defiance of the terrorists and in support of freedoms.
However, within hours of the hashtag gaining popularity, the l’Institut national de la propriété intellectuelle (INPI) began receiving numerous applications to trademark the phrase for commercial exploitation, and opportunists online began trying to take credit for the phrase and exploit it for profit.
According to AFP, more than 50 applications to trademark the phrase “Je suis Charlie” were received by the INPI by 12 January, with the image of the phrase on a black background using the same font as the Charlie Hebdo logo has also been targeted. Others have tried to register the phrase in Benelux as well.
Elsewhere, the domain names JeSuisCharlie.fr, JeSuisCharlie.com, JeSuisCharlie.org, and JeSuisCharlie.co.uk were all registered within hours of the attack, as opportunists attempted to capitalise on the positive sentiment and wide appeal of the message, and the phrase began appearing on t-shirts and mugs on online stores and marketplaces.
One person who has not tried to exploit the phrase for commercial gain is the French journalist who created both the slogan and the accompanying image in an effort to offer an alternative to the sentiments of despair and disgust being shared as people heard about the attacks. The only group Joachim Roncin has agreed to let commercially use his artwork is NGO Reporters Sans Frontières (Reporters Without Borders), and has consulted lawyers in the hope of preventing others from exploiting his work.
Roncin told the BBC:
“I want this message to stay pure. The four million people who were on the streets in Paris on Sunday – they shouted this message. They shouted it on the streets of London and New York and all around the world. I would be disgusted if someone just tried to make money off it.”
