Posted on 09/22/2015 6:27:25 PM PDT by Steelfish
Peta Sues To Give Copyright For 'Monkey Selfies' To Macaque Who Snapped Them Animal rights group contends six-year-old Naruto should receive all proceeds from photos for the benefit of crested macaques living in reserve in Indonesia
A macaque monkey who took now-famous selfie photographs should be declared the copyright owner of the photos, rather than the nature photographer who positioned the camera, animal-rights activists contend in a novel lawsuit filed Tuesday. The suit was filed in federal court in San Francisco by People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (Peta). It seeks a court order allowing Peta to administer all proceeds from the photos for the benefit of the monkey, which it identified as six-year-old Naruto, and other crested macaques living in a reserve on the Indonesian island of Sulawesi. The photos were taken during a 2011 trip to Sulawesi by British nature photographer David Slater. Through San Francisco-based self-publishing company Blurb, he has published a book called Wildlife Personalities that includes the monkey selfie photos.
(Excerpt) Read more at theguardian.com ...
Since the macaque isn’t capable of defending the copyright, how can we know the macaque prefers peta and not the Johnny Cochran firm? And how can we know that the macaque, not having a way of collecting any copyright fees, isn’t intending to release any claim and intends to permit the photos to exist royalty free for any use?
How do they know that Naruto cares about other macaques? Maybe he just wants to enjoy the fruits of his own labors? Or is everyone a slave to the collective in nature?
Better hope it’s PETA. I’ve known attorneys who have had cases against the late Johnny Cochran’s firm — and it was a very capable office.
Macaque on a triple: best Scrabble memory ever.
I’m pretty sure Grumpy Cat’s owner get’s the money from the endorsements and appearances.
Is PETA representing him/her in court against the owner.
You are right. When the animal can articulate its case, then we’re getting somewhere.
what a load of macaca
And of course, the monkeys will need some human to manage the finances.
For a fee, of course.
PETA is all about finding a legal way to get animals to have rights. Once any kind of precedent is established we are in danger of losing our rights to animals.
Monkey business afoot.
Technically they belong to Nikon (or whoever manufactured the cameras) by that logic.
They want to anthropomorphize animals and dehumanize people.
I am sure PETA has no problem with it. Typical liberal nuttiness on their part.
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