Don't copy an image on the internet

You would think that the adage "it's on the internet so it must be free" would have gone the way of the Dodo. But it stubbornly persists.

It persists in the fashion industry. The celebrity, fashion model, influencer Gigi Hadid was sued by an agency for posting a paparazzi's photographs of her to her Instagram account (Xclusive-Lee, Inc., v. Jelena Noura "Gigi" Hadid, 1:19-cv-00520 (E.D.N.Y.)).

It persists in politics. The photographer Kevin Liles sued the Georgia GOP party and Gov.-elect Brian Kemp’s campaign for unlawfully using a photo of Kemp's opponent Stacy Abrams (Kevin D. Liles v. Georgia Republican Party Inc. and Kemp for Governor, Inc., 1:19-cv-151 (N.D. Ga.). The photographer Michael Schwarz sued Friends of Chris Carr for unlawfully using a photograph of Carr's opponent Charlie Bailey (Michael Schwarz v. Friends of Chris Carr, Inc., 1:19-cv-348 (N.D. Ga.).

Two points about the lawsuit by Schwarz. First, Chris Carr was running for attorney general. Second, Doug Chalmers a partner with the law firm of Chalmers & Adams in a written statement that the campaign respected intellectual property, but then highlighted that there was no copyright notice. As every IP attorney knows, a copyright notice isn't required.

Image by Geralt from Pixabay.

#copyright