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David Slater and PETA could finally settle over the monkey selfie case

by 27 Comments

In 2015, People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) filed the most ridiculous lawsuit ever against photographer David Slater. The famous “monkey selfie” case has been going on for two years now, and it has done Slater a lot of harm. However, judging from the latest report, it could finally end in the settlement between the Slater and PETA.

When one of the monkeys hijacked Slater’s camera in 2011 and took a bunch of selfies, the photographer couldn’t have imagined what would result from that. The photos went viral, but they soon found themselves on Wikimedia Commons under public domain. Wikimedia refused to take the photos down, claiming the monkey pressed the shutter and thus owns the copyright.

Then PETA came with their lawsuit against Slater, claiming that the monkey named Naruto should own the copyright to his selfie. The case has been going on for two years now. The court ruled that the monkey couldn’t own copyright on photos, and PETA appealed the decision, making the case move on. But finally, according to the court documents, the two parties seem to be on the verge of ending this monkey business once and for all.

As PDN Pulse reports, PETA, Slater and  Blurb, Inc. (a co-defendant with Slater) have asked the US Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit to stay PETA’s appeal in Naruto v. David Slater. The settlement talks started after oral arguments in the case last month. The lawyers of both parties stated that they “have agreed on a general framework for a settlement subject to the negotiation and resolution of specific terms.” They also said that “the parties are optimistic that they will be able to reach an agreement that will resolve all claims in this matter.”

The details of the possible settlement are not known yet. But, I do hope it will be favorable for Slater, that’s the least he deserves.

[via PDN Pulse, image credits: David Slater]

Related posts:

Monkey selfie photographer considers swapping careers to tennis coaching. Says he’s totally broke PETA lawsuit claims famous monkey owns the selfie copyright The Copyright Battle Between PETA and Viral Monkey Photographer Just Got Weirder Federal Judge Rules Famous Monkey Can’t Own Copyright on Selfies
  • DPJ

    Only in the U.S could this happen. The courts should have laughed PETA out of the doors, the second they even thought about filing a case. It’s an absolute farce and a waste of time.

    • Vanitas Foto

      Not only disgraful PETA use the money they get as donations from gullible people to do this kind of stuff, or the fact PETA went and took it so far to drain the money of this poor guy, but for the judge to consider this and waste tax payer’s money!!!

      Besides PETA are animal killers, not animal friends.

      • bigg3469

        PETA Pathetic Egomaniacs Terrorizing Animals.

    • Man, DOJ, I was shaking my head when reading this and was about to comment: “Only in the USA…” when I saw your comment. Very true..and sad.

  • Good luck Slater.

  • Why the fuck was this even a thing the court ruling should of been the same? Now they have run the whole situation dry so if there was money to even donate it’s gone.

    How can an animal consent or know it’s own legal rights when the rights of laws are only meant to protect not have them be a citizen? Not only that the monkey isn’t from this country so the laws here should not 100% to them. PETA isn’t even in charge of the land the animal is on. Lot of questions and hardly any answers. Representing an animal that can’t request services. :/

  • I hope it works out for him, but since slater wasn’t suing for money, and PETA was, I think it’s more likely to end in no one owning the photo. I’m happy to hear blurb was a co defendant though. What I do hope is that skater gets compensated for all his losses by PETA. Yes I know that means they’ll be flat out of funds and therefore won’t be able to support animals any time soon. That sucks but PETA is to blame for that. They had a choice to not pursue such a ridiculous lawsuit. Now no one won. Well done idiots PETA!
    I advice people to not donate money to PETA but another animal rights protection organisation like WNF, because PETA has demonstrated that they handle their donated money very irresponsibly

    • All because they were greedy… They wanted the money. It has always been that way.

    • PETA has a high rate of putting down animals because of lack of money, but spends tons on advertising and lawsuits. They are totally corrupted and should never be supported.

    • The road to hell is paved with good intentions. I stopped paying to charities where their leaders get a pay that exceeds the PM’s salary and bonuses that could solve world hunger.

  • I’m a longtime vegan and also a photographer. I think PETA is a ridiculous embarrassment to the animal rights movement. In my opinion from personal observation over the 12+ years I’ve lived a plant-based lifestyle, PETA always seems to set the entire animal activist community back more than they initiate any useful progress for animals.

  • PETA should give David a 7 figure cheque and apologise. Ridiculous excuse for a group.

  • Renato Murakami

    Shouldn’t be glad that a photographer needs to settle anything with a terrorist organization that strives on publicity stunts and preying on the weak, but at least it’ll be over. Shame on the US justice system for entertaining this organization. Slater should’ve won everything he’s put up with so far. The photos are his, and his alone.

  • The courts should have thrown this out on Day One and Mr. Slater awarded legal costs.

  • Enough with the monkey business.

  • You are right DPJ, Only in the USA. Not something to be proud of.

    • bigg3469

      FYI the “Radical Left” hates and loathes PETA.

      • Motti Bembaron

        The seem to be at each other when they have no common enemy 🙂

  • Alecio P

    Good luck monkey, you deserve your Kim Kardashian moment in this terrible situation.

  • I know, I’ll never donate to wikipedia or PETA again. This is what they do with the hard earned funds that people donate, thinking it’s making the world a better place?

  • Now sue PETA or is it PITA

  • Tonino Vicari

    Lesson? Don’t post anything on the internet anymore.

  • Trino Pam

    PETA is pure evil.

    I hope the photographers gets some compensation and get over his caysed by PETA.

    I also Naruto and fellow monkeys don’t end up extinct, which was what all this was about: Slater wanted to save this monkey species with this photo project. PETA ruined it.

    #stoppeta

  • Campbellphoto

    Stupid rediculous frevilous lawsuit by PETA…they would get more sympathy if they would stick to protecting animals and not clogging the court system with this crap…pay the photographer for the damages they have caused him and move to the important things…

  • bigg3469

    PETA is sooooo f°°king stupid! Suing over a freaking monkey selfie?!?! Those vegan terrorist thugs should be more concerned about saving the animals who are victims of Hurricane Harvey in Houston and Hurricane Irma in Florida. I won’t be surprised it those idiotic morons from PETA try to save the Fire Ants in Houston from the floodwaters in the aftermath of Hurricane Harvey and get stung by them!

  • Vincent Cyr

    PETA hasn’t represented animal rights for a long time. Heck, when a town sterilized some it’s feral cats because they were approaching the overpopulation point (which would have been a big problem for the cats), PETA came in and euthanized ALL the cats it could catch, including several with owners, who PETA refused to pay damages too, even when a court ordered them to. The only reason they got involved in this case was that they wanted money, and the sad thing is, they’re gonna get it. I don’t usually get involved in this “animal rights” nonsense (because it comes from an ignorant point of view, both of how nature and human physiology works), but PETA is just despicable.

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