What is a Gold Star franchisee licensed to use during the term of the Franchise Agreement regarding copyrights?
Gold_Star Franchise · 2025 FDDAnswer from 2025 FDD Document
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Item 14
Patents, Copyrights and Proprietary Information
Gold Star does not own any patents.
Gold Star asserts copyright protection for its Manual and other information and materials regarding Gold Star's System, which are not registered. You are not necessarily licensed to use these copyrights, but you are licensed to use the Manual and certain confidential information and materials during the term of the Franchise Agreement as part of the Confidential Material described in this Item 14.
There are no current determinations of the United States Copyright Office (Library of Congress) or any court regarding the copyrights, and there are no currently effective agreements that significantly limit the rights of Gold Star to use or license the use of the items for which copyright protection is asserted in any manner material to the Franchise.
Source: Item 14 — Patents, Copyrights, and Proprietary Information (FDD pages 40–41)
What This Means (2025 FDD)
According to the 2025 Gold Star Franchise Disclosure Document, while Gold Star asserts copyright protection for its Manual and other information regarding its system, franchisees are not necessarily licensed to use these copyrights in general. However, franchisees are licensed to use the Manual and certain confidential information and materials during the term of the Franchise Agreement as part of the Confidential Material.
This means that as a Gold Star franchisee, you are granted specific, limited rights to use copyrighted materials like the operations manual, but this usage is restricted to running your franchise according to the agreement. You cannot reproduce, distribute, or create derivative works from these materials outside the scope of your franchise operation.
The Franchise Agreement also stipulates that franchisees must not contest the validity or enforceability of Gold Star's copyrights or their sole right to register, use, or franchise the use of any copyrights, Confidential Material, or the System. This clause reinforces Gold Star's control over its intellectual property and prevents franchisees from challenging those rights. If Gold Star requires modifications or discontinuation of any item within the Manual or Confidential Information, the franchisee is responsible for complying at their own expense.