Question:
An Ohio woman is demanding $20 million from Yahoo for allegedly using a photo of her without her permission for a welcome e-mail sent to new users.
According to a court complaint filed Tuesday with the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Ohio, Shannon Stovall, a resident of Ohio's Cuyahoga County, discovered upon signing up for Yahoo's Web-based e-mail service last October that a picture taken of her appeared in a note sent to new users.
The message, according to a printout attached to the court complaint, leads off with the headline Hooray! Your first e-mail and a photograph containing two women, one of which is purported to be Stovall. It goes on to give Yahoo Mail users tips on how to transfer address book contacts and customize the look of their messages.
The complaint charges that the image has been sent to millions of users around the world without Stovall's authorization, violating her right to privacy and right to publicity--that is, to control the commercial use of her identity.
Mitchell Yelsky, one of three attorneys handling Stovall's case, said his client has previously modeled and worked for modeling agencies. According to documents provided to CNET News.com, Yelsky sent two letters to Yahoo in November asking that the company cease using her image in the message.
A Yahoo representative said Friday that the company is not allowed to comment on specifics related to legal cases.
The complaint requests a jury trial, $10 million to compensate for profits that have been allegedly generated by use of her likeness, and $10 million to cover attorneys' fees and litigation expenses.
The allegations resemble a complaint lodged by New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady against Yahoo in December. The star athlete accused the portal of using a photograph of him from the September 2006 issue of Sports Illustrated without his permission to promote its fantasy football league.
http://www.httpguru.com/gurublog/index.php...amp;ucat=1&
Answer:
Jeez, 20 million? Overreacting just a tad?
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she just reminds me of the son's mother who tried to sue michael jackson.
who cares if her picture was sent around yahoo... goodness.
she probably just need some money and just decided to sue.
i mean, she really didnt need to sue, but she still did it.
sigh dumb people these days. yahoo didnt like harass her picture or anything, goodness.
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she just reminds me of the son's mother who tried to sue michael jackson.
who cares if her picture was sent around yahoo... goodness.
she probably just need some money and just decided to sue.
i mean, she really didnt need to sue, but she still did it.
sigh dumb people these days. yahoo didnt like harass her picture or anything, goodness.
if she were to use yahoo in an advertisement you sure as hell would hear that yahoo would be suing her
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she just reminds me of the son's mother who tried to sue michael jackson.
who cares if her picture was sent around yahoo... goodness.
she probably just need some money and just decided to sue.
i mean, she really didnt need to sue, but she still did it.
sigh dumb people these days. yahoo didnt like harass her picture or anything, goodness.
I always hear stories about Korean celebrities suing companies for using their image without permission.
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i thought yahoo uses a cartoon pic as the welcoming image. anyways i bet it isnt even her but someone that looks close enough like her so that she can make a case in court
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Suing people is getting so overrated. $20 million is too much. But I agree with the woman. People shouldn't be using other people's pictures without their permission.
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20 million.... pffftt as if her ugly mug is even worth that much
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she just reminds me of the son's mother who tried to sue michael jackson.
who cares if her picture was sent around yahoo... goodness.
she probably just need some money and just decided to sue.
i mean, she really didnt need to sue, but she still did it.
sigh dumb people these days. yahoo didnt like harass her picture or anything, goodness.
Yahoo didn't need to use her image, but they still did it. Why should they get to use her picture for free?
if she were to use yahoo in an advertisement you sure as hell would hear that yahoo would be suing her
That much is certain.
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hehe a funny one.
$20mill is ALOT for using a pic, that would be around 26 million AUD for me. just wow
Wouldn't it be a compliment for them to use their picture?? i mean sure it invades privacy and maybe they dont want it, but like no one actually stops to look at the picture.. they read the email glance at the pic and thats it. no one will recognise you on the street and say HEYY your the person yahoo used for their welcome email!
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i thought yahoo uses a cartoon pic as the welcoming image. anyways i bet it isnt even her but someone that looks close enough like her so that she can make a case in court
Yeah. I've never gotten a person's picture before. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/blink.gif)
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if she were to use yahoo in an advertisement you sure as hell would hear that yahoo would be suing her
..wow...this is the first time i've actually agreed with something you've said... (IMG:style_emoticons/default/blink.gif)
anyway the woman is a model..therefore if they were using her photo, she should have been paid. it's not crazy the amount of money she's suing them for. just think. if it's true what she says about them using her photo without her consent if she had consented she prolly would have been under contract with them and for the amount of time that they used it and all other kinds of bs factor in.
i don't think its crazy at all. Yahoo should have asked permission( if its true what she says) (IMG:style_images/1/folder_post_icons/icon3.gif)
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$10 Million for Attorney and Court fees? o.0
Isn't that a little over exaggerating ...
If she sued for like 5 Mill, I could see her having a case ...
but 20 mill is a little absurd
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lol... the amount is no big deal. They always ask for a huge amount because they know they will get less. It's like going to an open market. The seller will mention a high price because they expect the buyer to haggle for a lower price. If you first ask for a low price, you won't get as much.
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I don't know... I don't like Yahoo picture anyways. There was one with a stupid-looking grinning pregant woman flashing her stomach and imitating a Buddha statue next to her. Since then, I've lost respect for Yahoo's taste...
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lucky her. i want yahoo to take my picture too! so i can get 20 million. gosh
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woah 20 million.
it was wrong for Yahoo to use her identity for their advertisements.. but 20 million o_O
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interesting topic...good for the woman,she can be famous n had money.i wish i had 20 million.no need to work n study...can online 24 hours...hahahahahah
