Christmas. Celebrations. Santa Claus. Photographs. Suit Damages. Does the word "Damages" sound odd in the line? With all the celebrations that you are looking forward to, ensure you don't use Santa's picture without its photographer's consent. In your Christmas cards, greetings, invitations, wherever.
It has been reported that Lance Knowles, a photographer, sued the City of Aiken, South Carolina and its tourism department ("the City) for using a photograph of Santa Claus without his consent. He claimed that the unauthorised use of the photograph was in spite of being aware that the photograph belonged to Knowles. This, he substantiated by stating that the when the photograph was posted by him, the City had commented on the same. With the use of this picture, the City is said to have drawn undue commercial benefit and publicity. Hence, his copyright in the photograph had been violated by its unauthorised use through the City's social media accounts and mass emails, for publicising one of the events that the City was to conduct. The City had to pay an amount of USD 6250 for Knowles for this violation.
Compiled by: Adv. Sachi Kapoor | Concept & Edited by: Dr. Mohan Dewan
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