- Report: #760810
Complaint Review: Publix - Saint Petersburg Florida
Reported By:
Gary -
Saint Petersburg, Florida, United States of America
Submitted:
Updated:
-
Author Not Confirmed
Why?
Publix
Gateway Mall Saint Petersburg, 33702 Florida, United States of America
Phone:
800-242-1227
Web:
www.publix.com
Categories:
Business Rating:
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Publix Publix Supermarkets Publix refuses to put military medal pictures on cake!!! Saint Petersburg, Florida
My father who happens to be a retired SEAL went to Publix supermarkets today to have a cake made for a celebration this weekend at their local American Legion. Part of the decorations of the cake included pictures of the SEAL emblem and also a picture of a purple heart medal. The clerk at the counter refused to allow the pictures of the emblem or medals citing copyright law which is complete and total crap. She even went so far as to show my dad the "official printed" Publix policy on these things. Federal copyright law however is VERY specific about such things.
"Works produced by the US government, or any government agency or person acting in a government capacity, are in the public domain. So are the texts of legal cases and statutes from state or federal government. Private contractors working for the government, however, can transfer copyrights to the US government."
This includes pictures of medals, emblems and seals created by and used by the government. In essence you can't copyright or prohibit someone from using something that you own at least in part. Every single taxpayer is an owner as we ARE the government owners.
Now I don't know if this clerk had a thing against the military or if she was just quoting some corporate desk jockeys implementation of a bad company policy I do know one thing....I won't be buying any more Publix cakes (and I buy a bunch of them each and every year for personal and business use).
Bottom line this is bad business and Publix needs to fix this wrong immediately. Publix can contact me directly at [email protected] if they want to discuss the matter. Until then I'll take my business elsewhere!
"Works produced by the US government, or any government agency or person acting in a government capacity, are in the public domain. So are the texts of legal cases and statutes from state or federal government. Private contractors working for the government, however, can transfer copyrights to the US government."
This includes pictures of medals, emblems and seals created by and used by the government. In essence you can't copyright or prohibit someone from using something that you own at least in part. Every single taxpayer is an owner as we ARE the government owners.
Now I don't know if this clerk had a thing against the military or if she was just quoting some corporate desk jockeys implementation of a bad company policy I do know one thing....I won't be buying any more Publix cakes (and I buy a bunch of them each and every year for personal and business use).
Bottom line this is bad business and Publix needs to fix this wrong immediately. Publix can contact me directly at [email protected] if they want to discuss the matter. Until then I'll take my business elsewhere!
5 Updates & Rebuttals
ISPGeek
Saint Petersburg,Florida,
United States of America
Not sure where you heard the above...
#2Author of original report
Fri, August 05, 2011
Sorry...your statement that the government has start copyrighting these things is incorrect. By law the government CAN'T copyright these things. I pasted the the section in the law that stictly prohibits such things. Go back to whatever source you got that from and tell them they are full of you know what.
Guys it really doesn't matter. Publix has admitted the clerks error, made good on the situation and the issue is now closed. All of the above that have chided in and made ridiculous claims and statements need not bother...this matter is closed and I trust Publix has taken all the steps needed to properly train their staff on these things.
Cory
San Antonio,Texas,
U.S.A.
Sad But True
#3Consumer Comment
Fri, August 05, 2011
You're trying to blame publix for something they have no control over. Here's why. Over the last year or so, the us government has started to copyright almost all symbols and emblems associated with the us govenment and the us services. All it is is a money making deal for the government. The us attorney can sue for copryright infringement violations. Some clerk insn't gonna know whether it's legal or not the re-produce your medal or emblem and isn't gonna risk their job without higher authorization. I read an article in one of my Leatherneck magazines about all those companies they were going after for not paying the government royalties for use of the Marine seal. Like they say, When in doubt, don't.
mr rik
miami,Florida,
USA
How much
#4Consumer Comment
Thu, August 04, 2011
time did you waste over this debacle?
coast
USAWhat rip off?
#5Consumer Comment
Thu, August 04, 2011
How much money were you ripped off as a result of the clerk not honoring your request?
ISPGeek
Saint Petersburg,Florida,
United States of America
Publix Makes This Right...Thank you!
#6Author of original report
Thu, August 04, 2011
I just received a phone call from Shannon Patten @ Publix and she has advised me that the clerk made an error and this is NOT their policy and they are going to make this right immediately. Thank you to Shannon for the quick and proper response!
