Original discussion found here.
An inspection on copyright law
https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:1350837/comments
While years may have passed 3d models and their copyright still have no solid guides for copyright.
Whether the 3d model can be classed as art or simply an interpretation of software and under the copyright of that software creator.
While sites such as printables.com and others state files can be creative commons and similar US and EU law remains unclear.
Simply by importing a file into slicing software US and EU law states that the art can be seen as derivatives and not the original art, previous cases infer that creative commons no-derivatives licenses are fundamentally incompatible with 3d printing.
Also does an artist who creates a Mickley mouse design own copyright of that model or does Dismey (names changed) own the overall rights to the piece.
While I find the argument of “you put something in a public space” entirely simplistic and moronic there is some real problems where the law stands.
The author hasn't provided the model origin yet.