UnitedHealth Experiences Removal of Luigi Mangione T-Shirt following Copyright Infringement Claim
When the CEO of UnitedHealthcare, Brian Thompson, was fatally shot in New York on December 4, it sparked a nationwide debate about how insurance companies often deny patients essential treatments. Many people, including some, celebrated 26-year-old Luigi Mangione, the alleged shooter, who is currently awaiting extradition from Pennsylvania. However, UnitedHealth Group, UnitedHealthcare's parent company, is employing an unusual approach to counteract online supporters of Mangione.
Internet users have created various homages to Mangione, such as songs and t-shirts. Yet, one pro-Mangione merchandise design is no longer accessible online due to a copyright complaint from UnitedHealth Group filed under the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA). The painting was removed from Teepublic, which allows artists to sell their original designs on t-shirts and other merchandise. It's unclear why UnitedHealth Group could assert ownership rights to something that doesn't involve its intellectual property.
The artwork, which you can see below, does not incorporate any UnitedHealth logos or trademarks. It's a watercolor painting of Mangione, inspired by one of the security camera images released by the police. Mangione is shown encircled by a heart, but there's nothing suggesting a connection to UnitedHealth.
© Rachel Kenaston
Rachel Kenaston, a 36-year-old filmmaker and comedian, describes UnitedHealthcare's claim on the painting as "preposterous." She claims to have been inspired by the solidarity exhibited by the working class following the shooting.
"I live in Brooklyn but grew up in Vienna, West Virginia, so I've witnessed firsthand the struggles faced by the working class in both rural and urban areas," Kenaston told Gizmodo via email. "Luigi is a working-class hero to me. I was brought up learning about the Mine Wars and the courage it took for heroes to fight against corporate exploitation."
The Mine Wars refers to the labor strikes in West Virginia during the 1910s in which coal miners demanded better wages and working conditions. Police and mine owners attempted to suppress the workers through violence, and the workers retaliated.
Kenaston stated that she was not expecting any intellectual property claim to be made and will be filing a counterclaim to the copyright notice.
"For my design, I chose to watercolor Luigi and use softer colors to appeal to the feminine aesthetic," Kenaston said. "I honestly expected the design to be withdrawn for promoting violence or something, but I find it utterly ridiculous that UnitedHealth Group Inc. is asserting any intellectual property rights over a picture of Luigi."
Kenaston has faced challenges with the U.S. healthcare system, known for its high costs yet poor health outcomes compared to other developed countries.
"I had a malignant bone tumor in my ribs a few years ago. I underwent five chest reconstructive surgeries at Memorial Sloan Kettering, and without the Affordable Care Act and expanded Medicaid in New York, I would be unable to afford any treatment," Kenaston told Gizmodo. "I'm missing three ribs and now have chronic pain. I've had a fair share of experiences navigating the healthcare industry and can empathize with Luigi's predicament with back pain."
Kenaston revealed that her experiences in a town contaminated by a large corporation also influenced her views on these issues.
"In my hometown, DuPont polluted our water supply with C8 and caused thousands of cancer deaths and other health issues," said Kenaston. "It's infuriating to know that corporations are responsible for so many deaths, and the only justice Americans can expect is a relatively insignificant fine."
Kenaston has other designs for sale online, including watercolors of pets and more politically-charged works, like a "Dick-tator" theme featuring a Donald Trump-like figure with a potato-scrotum body. In the case of the "Dick-tator" design, Trump's body is depicted as a scrotum covered in potatoes.
GoFundMe closed at least two fundraisers for Mangione as public interest in his case has risen. Furthermore, a woman was arrested last week for allegedly telling her insurance company "delay, deny, depose" after they refused her coverage. Also, various documentaries about Mangione are reportedly in production, including one by Alex Gibney, the director of the 2008 Oscar-winning documentary, Taxi to the Dark Side.
UnitedHealth Group did not respond to requests for comment regarding how they could possibly claim a copyright violation had occurred. Gizmodo will update this story if they do.
In the realm of future tech innovations, some individuals propose using blockchain technology to decentralize healthcare systems, ensuring patients have direct control over their medical records and insurance claims, thus preventing instances like the UnitedHealth Group copyright claim on Rachel Kenaston's painting.
Embracing the potential of technology, organizations like the Open Medical Records Exchange advocate for a more transparent and patient-centered approach, aligning with Kenaston's sentiments about fighting against corporate exploitation in the healthcare sector.
