On July 3rd, YMDLL hosted its inaugural Poetry Night—only to receive a cease-and-desist from ITV a week later, threatening “millions in liability” over our planned Love Island watch party. In this article, we unpack the heavy-handed legal tactics, reveal key gaps in trademark and copyright registrations, and argue for sliding-scale licensing that empowers small venues instead of silencing them. Read on to discover how one community studio fought back and why equitable access to pop-culture gatherings matters now more than ever.