When Khloe Kardashian came across a photo of herself online, she decided to share it with her Instagram followers. That simple action has landed her in a legal battle with the person who took the photo.
Xposure Photos filed the lawsuit accusing Kardashian of copyright infringement over the use of the photo captured by Manuel Munoz. The photo was then licensed to The Daily Mail for publication. Because Kardashian did not have the rights to the specific photo, the company is seeking damages up to $25,000. That seems kind of steep.
Legally speaking, the company has a case to be made and a right to protect its property. But shouldn’t there be a little bit of wiggle room for a celebrity to use a photo of them in a private moment (the photo was taken at a restaurant while enjoying a meal with family) on their Instagram account? In this day and age, there should be a case to be made in support of Kardashian’s choice of photo. And yes, I just managed to defend a Kardashian and I feel a little queasy about it.
This is nothing new for celebrities. As noted by The Hollywood Reporter, Sony Pictures was recently sued by photographer Steven Ferdman after a photo he took of actor Tom Holland in his costume for Spider-Man Homecoming was shared on official social profiles owned by Sony Pictures. Holland also used the image on his accounts. Ferdman eventually pulled the copyright violation claim after potentially receiving a settlement over the copyright infringement.
What do you think? Should Kardashian be sued over the use of the photo in question, or should she be able to post a photo of herself on her account?
