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Author Topic: Buzzfeed Faces $3.6 Million Lawsuit for Copyright Infringement  (Read 5052 times)

Robert Krausankas (BuddhaPi)

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It seems like all of those llama slideshows might be coming back to bite BuzzFeed.
The website, which is known for aggregating images from other sources, is being sued by a professional photographer whose photo was used in a typical BuzzFeed post called “The 30 Funniest Header Faces.”
The Guardian:
His picture of a grimacing player was removed from the article – now titled “The 29 Funniest Header Faces” – after he made an initial complaint in May 2011.
But in a lawsuit filed in New York, Eiselein accused Buzzfeed of “direct and contributory infringement” and claims he is owed $3.6m after his work was shared widely across the web.

http://spectator.org/blog/2013/06/18/buzzfeed-faces-36-million-laws
Most questions have already been addressed in the forums, get yourself educated before making decisions.

Any advice is strictly that, and anything I may state is based on my opinions, and observations.
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lucia

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Re: Buzzfeed Faces $3.6 Million Lawsuit for Copyright Infringement
« Reply #1 on: June 18, 2013, 10:52:35 PM »
On the one hand, $3.6 million is ridiculous. On the other hand, Buzzfeed's business model is copyright violation.  So, I don't have much sympathy for them. It will be interesting to see how this goes.

DavidVGoliath

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Re: Buzzfeed Faces $3.6 Million Lawsuit for Copyright Infringement
« Reply #2 on: June 19, 2013, 07:29:40 AM »
On the one hand, $3.6 million is ridiculous. On the other hand, Buzzfeed's business model is copyright violation.  So, I don't have much sympathy for them. It will be interesting to see how this goes.

I don't think the photographer or attorney expect to net $3.6m in damages... however, much like any damages related lawsuit, the "form" is to go in with a high number and see what the courts think in terms of validity of claim.

I'm also 100% with Lucia on the business model of buzzfeed.com and similar sites - they only exist because they appropriate and redistribute the work of others and hope that they're assess are covered by DMCA and fair use exceptions, whilst earning a bucket of advertising revenue in the process.

I'll be watching the outcome of this suit very closely.

DavidVGoliath

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Re: Buzzfeed Faces $3.6 Million Lawsuit for Copyright Infringement
« Reply #3 on: June 19, 2013, 08:10:03 AM »
Oh dear, I've just noticed that the photographer filed suit as a pro se litigant.

/facepalm/

Robert Krausankas (BuddhaPi)

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Re: Buzzfeed Faces $3.6 Million Lawsuit for Copyright Infringement
« Reply #4 on: June 20, 2013, 06:27:17 AM »
EFF has writtern a great article, as to why this case will not succeed...it will probably end before it begins..

https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2013/06/buzzfeed-faces-36-million-copyright-suit-not-so-much
« Last Edit: June 20, 2013, 12:19:01 PM by Robert Krausankas (BuddhaPi) »
Most questions have already been addressed in the forums, get yourself educated before making decisions.

Any advice is strictly that, and anything I may state is based on my opinions, and observations.
Robert Krausankas

I have a few friends around here..

stinger

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Re: Buzzfeed Faces $3.6 Million Lawsuit for Copyright Infringement
« Reply #5 on: June 20, 2013, 09:09:17 AM »
My guess is that if this guy was ever serious, he would have an attorney leading the charge.  This had to be done for the publicity - or the guy made a huge error in judgement.

DavidVGoliath

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Re: Buzzfeed Faces $3.6 Million Lawsuit for Copyright Infringement
« Reply #6 on: June 20, 2013, 10:54:50 AM »
This had to be done for the publicity - or the guy made a huge error in judgement.

I'm going to go with the latter. I'm sure that buzzfeed.com will piss someone off soon enough whom actually has all their ducks in a row with regards to timely and correct registration of their own works  but, for now... yeah, this isn't going to get very far.

 

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