Copyright Infringement: Be Careful What You Tweet
Several years ago, photojournalist Daniel Morel sued Getty Images and Agence France-Presse for copying and selling images from his twitter account. Morel posted photographs he took of the 2010 earthquake that ravaged Haiti.
Morel, the photographer, was awarded over $1 million in damages in a case that clarified this point as reported on Pixsy.com: “Twitter allows for posting and retweeting, but not commercial use of photos posted by users.” Despite this ruling and much to the dismay of photographers around the world, many still believe that they can use copyrighted pictures anyway they want to, just because they are put on social media. Our lawyers at Sanders Law Group, know this is not the case and do our best to help photographers protect their rights to control and earn money from their work.
Variety Report: Twitter Deletes Photo of Trump After Copyright Complaints
Variety.com shared the news that Twitter removed a photo posted by President Trump. The picture was of Trump himself, a black-and-white image of Trump squinting and “pointing his right index finger at the camera.” New York Times staff photographer Damon Winter took the picture as part of a New York Times Magazine article in 2015. The image was taken down after the New York Times filed a Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA) takedown request, alleging copyright violations.
More Posts Removed After Copyright Complaints
In its July 2020 article, Variety.com shares other instances of Trump’s content or that of his campaign, being removed because of copyright complaints.
- Twitter and Facebook removed a video after the original owner of the video complained
- Twitter removed a campaign video after receiving a DMCA request from the “rights holder” of one of the images used.
- Videos have also been removed from Twitter and other social media platforms after allegations that they contain samples of music that are protected and used without permission.
These allegations of copyright infringement have not resulted in legal action. There is no clear indication of whether copyright infringement exists or, if it does if the infringement was willful. We might never know.
What we do know is that it is important for photographers, videographers, and other creative professionals to pay attention. Understand your rights. Don’t be afraid to take the necessary steps to enforce them.
Call Sanders Law Group, For all of Your Copyright Needs
If you have concerns that your pictures, music, or other work is being posted, copied, manipulated, or sold without permission or compensation, call our copyright lawyers today. We provide free evaluations of copyright claims and are here to help you protect your legal rights to the full extent the laws allow.
Call Sanders Law Group, copyright lawyers representing photographers, at (800) 979-3707 to learn more about your right to collect compensation for copyright infringement.
