Going viral: Copyright lessons from Max the Cat

Rebecca S. Wingo, Alexis Logsdon, Christopher Schommer

Abstract

On November 29, 2017, a photo of a sign asking library patrons “please do not let in the cat” went viral. It wasn’t long before the Internet lore surrounding Max the Cat exceeded the scope of the original post. Until news agencies picked up the story and tracked us down, the image (and the cat) was largely divorced from its original context.

Full Text:

PDF HTML
Copyright Rebecca S. Wingo, Alexis Logsdon, Christopher Schommer

Article Views (By Year/Month)

2025
January: 60
February: 30
March: 36
April: 44
May: 32
June: 64
July: 54
August: 46
September: 50
October: 58
November: 71
December: 56
2024
January: 20
February: 19
March: 17
April: 16
May: 19
June: 33
July: 30
August: 37
September: 23
October: 15
November: 11
December: 12
2023
January: 48
February: 71
March: 96
April: 21
May: 23
June: 33
July: 38
August: 47
September: 52
October: 65
November: 56
December: 32
2022
January: 31
February: 38
March: 43
April: 61
May: 30
June: 28
July: 37
August: 45
September: 36
October: 29
November: 49
December: 57
2021
January: 62
February: 55
March: 40
April: 39
May: 25
June: 39
July: 43
August: 69
September: 137
October: 41
November: 45
December: 25
2020
January: 66
February: 28
March: 43
April: 30
May: 31
June: 28
July: 50
August: 22
September: 20
October: 50
November: 136
December: 54
2019
January: 67
February: 81
March: 50
April: 53
May: 61
June: 48
July: 48
August: 31
September: 31
October: 22
November: 33
December: 21
2018
January: 0
February: 0
March: 0
April: 0
May: 0
June: 8
July: 3421
August: 253
September: 343
October: 124
November: 142
December: 59