Dave Slater, the photographer who can't seem to accept that the "gone viral" monkey selfie taken with his camera is
not copyrightable
nor his intellectual property, is back at it again. This time via a supposed Louisanna-based management company that goes by the name of Icondia.
Icondia claims to be representing David Slater and
Wildlife Personalities Ltd. which has now "officially registered" the monkey image in one of those convenient UK "Crown Dependencies" that are so dear to 'legal' connivers the world over. This particular place is named
The Balliwick of Guernsey. An actual balliwick? In the 21st century? For
real? (You just can't make this stuff up folks!)
This is Icondia's official announcement regarding the image:
Icondia is pleased to confirm the registration of Wildlife Personalities Limited with effect from 28 October 2014 as a registered personality on the Guernsey Image Rights Register. Registered images associated with Wildlife Personalities Limited include the so-called ‘monkey selfie’ images of macaque monkeys. Use of registered images for commercial purposes without the consent of the rights holder may constitute infringement of the registered image rights. All enquiries regarding the use of these registered images should be directed to [email protected]
Silly in the extreme, I know. But unfortunately for them, Icondia recently saw fit to send a cease & desist letter to none other than Mike Masnick over at TechDirt. And they got totally
pwned. Read TechDirt's entire response
here.
Priceless!
Hey Dave? Dave Slater? I know it's frustrating to feel something you lucked into, and thought was going to make you a very large fortune, suddenly slip through your fingers. But it
has. So please try to get over it - and move on with your life already? Make it a New Year's resolution.
