[FBD]

Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107 (Copyright law) "...the fair use of a copyrighted work, including such use by reproduction in copies or phonorecords or by any other means specified by that section, for purposes such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching (including multiple copies for classroom use), scholarship, or research, is not an infringement of copyright."

[Your Nightmare]

Was anyone using the original photo for criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, scholarship, or research?

I would say no.