DIY Photography

Hacking Photography - one Picture at a time

  • News
  • Inspiration
  • Reviews
  • Tutorials
  • DIY
  • Gear
Search

Submit A Story

Photo agency sues Twitter for $228.9 million over copyright infringement

Jan 13, 2023 by Dunja Djudjic 2 Comments

  • Share
  • Tweet
  • Flipboard
  • WhatsApp

Celebrity photo agency Backgrid has sued Twitter over copyright infringement after users uploaded thousands of its photos on the social media platform. Twitter reportedly received DMCA takedown notices, but failed to take action, and it also reportedly failed to sanction “repeat infringers.” Because of this, if Backgrid wins, Twitter will have to pay a whopping $228.9 million!

Backgrid filed the lawsuit on 30 December 2022 at the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California. According to the lawsuit, Twitter infringed at least 1,526 celebrity photos, and the agency sent over 6,700 notices to take down their copyrighted images. However, Twitter reportedly failed to take any of them down. Furthermore, some Twitter users allegedly posted copyrighted images multiple times, but the lawsuit notes that Twitter failed to suspend their accounts.

According to the same report, Backgrid initially reached out to Twitter trying to resolve this issue direc. But as the company never responded, so the photo agency turned to the court. As The Verge notes, there’s no information about whether Backgrid tried to contact Twitter before or after Musk made it his playground. “An attorney at the firm representing Backgrid did not reply to a request for comment, and Twitter no longer has a public relations department,” this source writes. Yes, you read that right: one of the largest social networks had fired a majority of its public relations department.

In the complaint, Backgrid requests $150,000 per photograph in statutory damages. Since there are “at least” 1,526, it adds up to $228.9 million. However, as The Verge notes, they may not get nearly as much, and Twitter will probably try to settle the case for less. Either way, we’ll keep an eye on the case and keep you posted.

[via The Verge]

FIND THIS INTERESTING? SHARE IT WITH YOUR FRIENDS!

  • Share
  • Tweet
  • Flipboard
  • WhatsApp

Related posts:

pinterest copyright lawsuitJudge rules in favor of Pinterest after photographer sues them for copyright infringement Former Prince photographer sues singer’s estate for copyright infringement Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram remove Trump’s video over alleged copyright infringement Photographer sues Trump Organization for copyright infringement

Filed Under: news Tagged With: copyright, copyright infringement, copyright law, copyright protection, lawsuit, photography copyright, social media, social network, Sued, twitter

About Dunja Djudjic

Dunja Djudjic is a multi-talented artist based in Novi Sad, Serbia. With 15 years of experience as a photographer, she specializes in capturing the beauty of nature, travel, and fine art. In addition to her photography, Dunja also expresses her creativity through writing, embroidery, and jewelry making.

« Viewbug Gigs lets you get paid for your photos of strangers
AI reimagines famous movie dance scenes »

Submit A Story

Get our FREE Lighting Book

DIYP lighting book cover

* download requires newsletter signup
DIYPhotography

Recent Comments

Free Resources

Advanced lighting book

Recent Posts

  • Sony’s ZV-E1 is a cut-down FX3 in a vlogging form factor
  • Watch: How good (or bad) is an $8.50 tripod?
  • How to light and photograph Lego building interiors
  • Lighting Setup: How to light your portraits with £50 LED tubes
  • Review: Insta360 announces its first gimbal – The AI-tracking Insta360 Flow

Alex Baker is a portrait and lifestyle driven photographer based in Valencia, Spain. She works on a range of projects from commercial to fine art and has had work featured in publications such as The Daily Mail, Conde Nast Traveller and El Mundo, and has exhibited work across Europe

Dave Williams is an accomplished travel photographer, writer, and best-selling author from the UK. He is also a photography educator and published Aurora expert. Dave has traveled extensively in recent years, capturing stunning images from around the world in a modified van. His work has been featured in various publications and he has worked with notable brands such as Skoda, EE, Boeing, Huawei, Microsoft, BMW, Conde Nast, Electronic Arts, Discovery, BBC, The Guardian, ESPN, NBC, and many others.

John Aldred is a photographer with over 20 years of experience in the portrait and commercial worlds. He is based in Scotland and has been an early adopter - and occasional beta tester - of almost every digital imaging technology in that time. As well as his creative visual work, John uses 3D printing, electronics and programming to create his own photography and filmmaking tools and consults for a number of brands across the industry.

Dunja Djudjic is a multi-talented artist based in Novi Sad, Serbia. With 15 years of experience as a photographer, she specializes in capturing the beauty of nature, travel, and fine art. In addition to her photography, Dunja also expresses her creativity through writing, embroidery, and jewelry making.

Copyright © DIYPhotography 2006 - 2023 | About | Contact | Advertise | Write for DIYP | Full Disclosure | Privacy Policy