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highplainsdem

(61,416 posts)
12. He drew one particular type of smiley face after it had already become popular. By the time he drew
Fri Feb 27, 2026, 12:26 PM
Friday

his version, WMCA radio in NY had already given away lots of their famous smiley-face sweatshirts for their "Good Guys" DJs. Their design was drawn by their program director, Ruth Meyer.

And simple smiley-face drawings had been used long before that, including in advertising.

https://paulhillery.co.uk/tag/wmca-good-guy/

1953 ad in a NY paper for the film Lili:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:NYHT_Smiley_10th_March_1953.jpg

It wouldn't have been used that way in an ad if it wasn't a symbol already commonly used and instantly recognizable.

And you're comparing a small symbol, which EarlG has every right to use here, to theft of the entire world's intellectual property by AI robber barons. Which cannot be ethically excused.

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