SOPA/PIPA/whatever IP issues and mini websites

[No Such Agency]

I know asking non-lawyers for legal advice on the internet is akin to asking for legal advice from a pack of dingoes, but how possible would it be for a hobby company to threaten websites with a takedown for posting photos of their products? The recent batch of disturbingly far-reaching IP "protection" laws seem to allow for just about anything, as long as the complaining party is more powerful and wealthy than the target, who then must prove their innocence. And even pre-SOPA, Wikipedia, for instance, considers a photo of an action figure to be a potentially infringing image and will not allow it to be posted.

I'm not saying it'd be smart of them or worth their while, but could for example, Games Workshop demand that CMON and other sites remove photos of painted GW minis, under threat of the site being taken off-line?

 

[Dragonsreach]

.......... but could for example, Games Workshop demand that CMON and other sites remove photos of painted GW minis, under threat of the site being taken off-line?

Personally I don't see how GW could. The basis of coolmini is that this is a showcase of painted miniatures, therefore allowing the personal freedom of interpretation in each model. GW do not (as yet ) hold the right to sole interpretation of how XY or Z should be painted by You, Me or little Tarquin down the street. The same principle would apply to eBay for You or I to sell unwanted GW kit and anyone offering a custom commission painting service.
I would see it as a totally differing matter if I was selling GW kit and branding it as my own, of course then they would have legitimate cause.

But please allow I'm not a lawyer and am applying "Common Sense" and not legal interpretation.

 

[10 ball]

CMON is great advertising for GW, seeing their minis painted in other styles makes people go out and buy.

 

[freakinacage]

I'm not sure how well stuff would stand up if things run their full length in court. The problem is that they have enough cash to out stay an smaller companies in court so they have to bow out before they can't effort any more