Monkey Selfie Copyright Dispute

About a dispute over the copyright of an image of a monkey, taken by the subject itself:

 

David J Slater says famous monkey selfie ruined him | Daily Mail Online

That is just awful. I will never send Wikipedia money now. The worst thing of all is, this really killed his joy of photography. I can completely understand why he'd feel that way. People suck. :-(

Just when you think it can't get any weirder out there... 8-{

Hasn't there always been an issue of whose photo it is when "the photographer" doesn't trip the shutter? If I set up a "self portrait", location, lighting, pose, etc., and decide not to use the timer but instead ask my mate to hold the camera--directing his placement and the positioning of the camera, focusing first for him--and asking him to click the shutter, I'd still consider the photo OURS and not mine, but I've never been that keen on sole ownership of photos. Of course, I'm not in it for the money, so have a different perspective.

 

I think treatment of animals is important and PETA carries it to ridiculous extremes, sometimes hurting their cause more than they help it.

 

I don't think it's totally ridiculous to see these photos as not solely owned by Slater. At the same time, I question the motives of the Wiki folks. PETA came into only secondarily so I also question the agenda of those making it all about PETA.

Hmm... lowly monkeys always

cause trouble. Great Apes like

me are superior and never

cause trouble...

http://bayouline.com/o2.gif

Vincent, do you have a modeling release for that monkey? Are these actually his words? Have you given thought to how your actions may have traumatized this poor creature?

Hmm... I am a Great Ape,

not some lowly monkey.

And Vincent freed me

from the San Francisco

Zoo, where I was being

held against my will. So

no, I haven't been

traumatized...

http://bayouline.com/o2.gif

Link Lawsuit settled over rights to monkey's selfie photo

the 9th circuit appeal -- monkey business for sure.

And what do we learn from this story? When you are sued by a large organization, write off your losses and move on with your life. I've had to do that myself, and I know other people who eventually had to as well - after loosing more money than they could afford. There is no point throwing good money after bad. If the dude had let it go, he would have made a modest amount of money, and would still be OK. It's trying to win the law suit that ruined him.

 

Regarding Wikipedia, they followed the letter of the law. The law might be ridiculous, but that's not their fault. I will continue to use and support them.

 

Regarding PETA, they are extremists and nutters. Those are people you don't want to mess with. Never wrestle with a pig. You get dirty, and the pig likes it.

besides nutters, they have money to back their crazyness... mostly donated by the good will of honest do gooders... shame to see money wasted on nonsense.