Ad Law Access
NY Case Addresses Publicity Rights for People in the Background of Social Media Photos
This month, we posted about a lawsuit that an NBA Hall of Fame player filed against a company that allegedly used his image to sell products without his permission. Regardless of how that case turns out, it’s pretty…
NBA Hall of Fame Player Sues Over Unauthorized Use of Image
Dominique Wilkins is an NBA Hall of Fame basketball player known for his acrobatic slam dunks and, after retirement, for his commentary during televised Hawks games. Wilkins also suffers from diabetes and has been an…
50 Cents, a Euphemistic Eggplant, and the Right of Publicity
Celebrities generally don’t like when companies use their images or names without permission. For example, Jennifer Love Hewitt didn’t love when a company used her image to promote a vitamin spray, and Michael Jordan…
No SpielBurgers for you! Steven Spielberg Shuts Down Unauthorized Use of His Name
Last week, Carl’s Jr. announced that in honor of Steven Spielberg’s new movie, Ready Player One, they would change the name of their Charbroiled Sliders to “SpielBurgers.” They tweeted: “@StevenSpielberg hasn’t signed…
New Lawsuit Highlights Risks of Using User-Generated Content
In 2014, Anheuser-Busch ran a contest on Facebook in which consumers were invited to submit photos of themselves “acting natural.” The contest rules stated that entrants could only submit their original works, and that…