California has extensive right of publicity laws protecting its citizens. These rights cover the unauthorized use of voice, signature, photograph, name, or likeness and carry over after the individual’s death. Violations of these protections for commercial gain or...
Right Of Publicity
What is California’s right of publicity law?
The right of publicity forbids the unauthorized use of an individual's name or likeness for commercial or other certain exploitative purchases. Here are the salient details. Elements of right of publicity To claim right of publicity has four requirements: The implicit...
Actions to take when your photo is posted online without your consent
The advancement in technology has made it easier than ever to take photos and share them on social networks in just a few seconds. It is also easy for someone to snap a picture with you in the background and post it online without your permission. Seeing yourself on...
The Right of Publicity and how it protects against commercial use
The Right of Publicity is not a federal right, instead, it is protected by state common or statutory law. In California, there are two types of Right of Publicity law, a statute and a common law right. The statutory Right of Publicity This statute protects a person's...
California’s right of publicity
Something feels wrong about using someone’s image or other indicia of their persona commercially to make money without their permission. This act raises sometimes conflicting issues of privacy, free speech and commercial rights. The legal remedy that evolved for the...
NCAA to loosen ban on college athletes’ use of own personas
We recently told readers about a California bill under consideration in the state legislature called the Fair Pay to Play Act. Since then, the legislation has become law and will take effect in 2023. California's move is groundbreaking in the world of collegiate...
California law would let college athletes sell their images and names
At our law firm, we represent people who are fighting to protect their exclusive right to use their persona commercially under state right-of-publicity law. The law encompasses an individual's right to use their own "name, voice, signature, photograph, or likeness"...
Right of publicity: Images of people in art without permission
At , in , we represent people asserting their rights of publicity as well as defending such lawsuits. The right of publicity protects people from unauthorized commercial use of their "name, voice, signature, photograph, or likeness ... on...
Steve McQueen family sues Ferrari over using name on car
On July 31, the surviving family of iconic actor Steve McQueen filed a lawsuit in Los Angeles state court against luxury auto maker Ferrari for calling a limited-edition Ferrara "The McQueen" without permission. The car is brown, apparently in tribute to a brown...
Actress appeals right-of-publicity case to California high court
At our law firm, we represent people whose identities have been exploited for commercial benefit without our clients' permission. The "right of publicity" means that a person's "name, voice, signature, photograph, or likeness" may not be used without consent to...