36
votes
Accepted
Admissibility as evidence of photographs taken by a mobile phone
You are asking about what is known as "authentication" of real evidence.
Photographic and digital image evidence is not presumptively inadmissible, but nor is it automatically admissible. ...
- 43.5k
35
votes
Accepted
Can a celebrity sue someone who takes obnoxious pictures/videos of him in public and uploads onto internet without his permission?
As per this question & answer, in the US there is no expectation of privacy in public places (not to be confused with private places where public is allowed e.g. supermarkets). Photos taken in ...
- 25.6k
34
votes
Is it illegal to take pictures of the police in public in Germany?
No, but...
It is not an offense to photograph people, especially if they are just caught at the edge or out of the center of the photography. However you do not have a right to photograph people ...
- 33.6k
30
votes
Accepted
What is the legal basis of Kate Middleton's threats against paparazzi photographing her in public?
Given that there is absolutely no law that prohibits people from photographing her once she's in public,
But there is.
The conduct of paparazzi photographers might amount to harrassment under the ...
- 4,671
26
votes
Can satellite images be copyrighted?
OSM does use aerial/satellite images. But as the OSM FAQ explains, Google Maps and similar sources have unsuitable terms of service. These would prevent use even if no copyright was involved.
The ...
- 23.9k
23
votes
Accepted
Does volunteer photographer own copyright?
What a lovely question!
US Copyright law is clear: the author of a creative work owns the copyright unless it is work for hire. In this instance, the photographer is not doing work for hire so they ...
- 198k
20
votes
Accepted
Fair Use of Photos as a Derivative Work
If the photos are exact or "slavish" reproductions of flat (2D) art, then under Bridgeman Art Library v. Corel Corp., 36 F. Supp. 2d 191 (S.D.N.Y. 1999) the photos are not original, and have no ...
- 113k
20
votes
Why is Star Wars a copyright issue but a MLB team is not?
From the mention of a MLB shirt, I am going to assume the OP is located in the united-states.
Logos are (in general) copyrightable
Anything with a modicum of creative input is by default copyrighted. ...
- 1,449
14
votes
Accepted
Do family pictures and videos in public places fall under GDPR?
The judgment linked to by the article says:
During the period from 5 October 2007 to 11 April 2008, Mr Ryneš installed and used a [continuously recording] camera system
located under the eaves of ...
- 14.8k
14
votes
Admissibility as evidence of photographs taken by a mobile phone
It has long been known that digital data can be (somewhat) easily manipulated, you just have to know how. Nevertheless, digital data remains admissible in court in both criminal and civil proceedings. ...
- 210k
12
votes
What are the legal repercussions of taking a stranger's picture in public?
For other jurisdictions, Wikimedia Commons has a list of countries and what you are allowed to do with pictures taken in public.
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Commons:...
- 229
12
votes
Accepted
Restraint classed as assault after suspecting unconsented photo
You acted illegally in assaulting your fellow student. When you are in public, a person can legally take your picture, and you are not allowed to assault a person because you do not like their legal ...
- 210k
12
votes
Accepted
Can satellite images be copyrighted?
Other answers argument why information extracted from satellite images (or the images themselves) can't be copyrighted in the USA. However, Open Street Map is based in the UK, whose copyright law ...
- 924
12
votes
What is the legal basis of Kate Middleton's threats against paparazzi photographing her in public?
Like the Wikipedia article says, Middleton claimed "harassment" and "invasion of privacy", which seem to be reasonable claims in the circumstances described. In some cases she ...
- 14.8k
9
votes
Accepted
Using Tinder photos for machine learning
Tinder's Terms of Service (TOS) is pretty clear:
Therefore, you agree not to:
• use the Service or any content contained in the Service for any
commercial purposes without our written ...
- 18.8k
9
votes
Why is Star Wars a copyright issue but a MLB team is not?
Fair Use is in the eye of the beholder
Fair Use is the idea that you can use copyrighted materials to the extent that there's no direct copying. The Copyright Act of 1976 is where Fair Use is defined
...
- 361
7
votes
Does volunteer photographer own copyright?
A case this year (2023) addresses this:
Shah v. NYP Holdings, Inc., 2023 WL 266511 (N.D. Ill. Jan. 18, 2023).
From the court's ruling:
Shah’s claim raises an interesting question: who should hold ...
7
votes
Accepted
What is the legal status of intimate photos sent to your (now) ex-partner after a break-up?
I assume these are digital photos that were electronically transferred (not prints physically delivered). If they were prints physically delivered, he owns those prints, since you used to own them but ...
- 210k
7
votes
The Legality of Naked Photos of a child for an abuse case
Will you be in legal trouble for child pornography? No.
The legal definition of child pornography generally requires things such as "sexually explicit conduct" or "lewd and lascivious display". ...
- 6,081
7
votes
Can satellite images be copyrighted?
Facts cannot be copyrighted. 17 USC 102 (b) reads:
In no case does copyright protection for an original work of authorship extend to any idea, procedure, process, system, method of operation, concept,...
- 113k
6
votes
Creative commons for erotic purpose
Assuming that the images are in fact released by the copyright holder under the CC_BY 2.0 license, and not under the CC_BY_NC or CC_BY_SA license, you are free to use the image on a book cover. That ...
- 113k
6
votes
Can a celebrity sue someone who takes obnoxious pictures/videos of him in public and uploads onto internet without his permission?
If you're talking about the United States, the celebrity will lose this case:
Being mildly embarrassed does not give rise to damages
The First Amendment allows us to gather and disseminate ...
- 57.2k
6
votes
Accepted
Why are photos of people in public blurred?
Costs
There are hundreds of jurisdictions in the world with various approaches to privacy in public places.
It is simply much cheaper for the publisher to avoid claims in the first place than to hire ...
- 25.6k
6
votes
Accepted
Any law that requires you to allow police to photograph you in public?
In general in the US, anyone may photograph anyone else if they are all in a public place, although in some states such a photo may not be used commercially without permission, which must often be ...
- 113k
6
votes
Accepted
Is it legal to photograph someone in public after they explicitly withhold consent?
consent can be assumed
Nah, consent can't be assumed just by default: it defeats the very definition of consent. Some active indication that consent is given must be present.
However, where the right ...
- 25.6k
5
votes
Trespassing or Public Property?
In the scenario you described, you were both right:
Police have no authority to demand that you leave a public space because you are photographing, nor does the government have the right to prevent ...
- 21.7k
5
votes
Accepted
If I take a photo with my Android phone of a tree to use it as a texture in a video game, who does the copyright belong to?
Photographers own the copyright in their photos, in general the person who creates a work owns the copyright in their work. Otherwise, makers of cameras, chisels and typewriters would own all of the ...
- 210k
5
votes
What can I do if someone posts nude pictures of me on the Internet?
The situation described could lead to a suit for "Intrusion of solitude" or "invasion of seclusion" one of the torts classed under "Invasion of privacy" The state of Michigan recognizes this tort, and ...
- 113k
Only top scored, non community-wiki answers of a minimum length are eligible