Welcome to this week’s episode of IP Goes Pop!, hosted by Volpe Koenig intellectual property (IP) attorneys Michael Snyder and Joseph Gushue.

In Episode 2, Mike and Joe talk about IP “urban legends.” What is an IP urban legend? That would be misinformation circulating about patents, trademarks, copyrights, or trade secrets that sounds like it could be true, but is not quite accurate (and certainly not from a legal or technical standpoint).

In this Episode, Mike and Joe took a survey of their colleagues, friends, and family to collect some of their IP urban legends and IP-related questions so they can set the record straight. The hosts dive into several major areas of IP and touch on topics ranging from what it means when an inventor says they have a “patent pending,” to myths regarding “fair use” of copyrighted musical works.

The hosts address questions like:

• What does “Patent Pending” mean?
• Does mailing a letter to yourself give you any IP protection?
• What is patent marking?
• What is the Doctrine of Fair Use?
• Is the internet “the public domain”?
• When can you use the copyright symbol ©? And what does it mean?
• When can you use the registered trademark symbol ®? And what does it mean?