Ask HN: "Fair Use" of Magazine Logos?
Our organization makes free software, and recently "Product X" was reviewed and given the "Editor's Choice" award by PC Magazine.
Seeing this, I placed their magazine logo linking back to the review on our download page, alongside the badges of other download awards we've been given in the past.
I was contacted barely 24 hours later by Ziff Davis Media legal, and told that my use of the logo was not Fair Use and I had to license their editor's choice award logo for $1250 per year.
I'm no lawyer, but I honestly feel that this is fair use? I'm using their logo to link back to their site - does anyone know if this is not allowed?
BTW, the PC Magazine review used our product, screenshots of our product, and more without letting us know they were doing a review let alone asking for our permission. Can someone explain the logic in this to me? And on their site, they have the screenshot of Product X alongside the "PC Magazine Editor's Choice" logo.
I'm sure anyone reading this can figure out "our organization" and "Product X" but whatever.