Outrage: Gronking Author Uses a Couple’s Photo Without Permission
Associated Press
Clearly gutted by the agony of being a super cute couple, a young twosome is suing A Gronking to Remember author Lacey Noonan and ebook tech giants for using their engagement photo as a “cover” image without their permission. As it turns out, being the faces of viral erotic fan fiction is not an ambition for some romantics (—even despite Rob Gronkowski’s sweaty visage silhouetted in the background. How dreamy.)
The Hollywood Reporter states that two anonymous individuals from Ohio going by “John Roe” and “Jane Roe” filed a suit against Lacey Noonan for violating their rights of publicity. Apple, Amazon and Barnes & Noble are also targeted for making the novella available on iBooks, Kindles, and Nooks. According to THR:
“The cover of the book contains a photograph of the Plaintiffs which was taken as part of their engagement journey leading toward their wedding,” states the complaint. “The photograph was appropriated by the Defendants for commercial gain without the permission of the Plaintiffs nor with the permission of any lawful copyright holder.”
…
“The subject matter of the book, A Gronking to Remember, is less than tasteful and is offensive,” says the complaint. “The use of the Plaintiffs image has held them up to ridicule and embarrassment. This outrageous connection has been further aggravated when the book, with the Plaintiffs image, has been reproduced in the media nationwide. The book has been shown as a source of ribald humor on The Tonight Show and Jimmy Kimmel Live as well as being displayed and read before the press at media day for the Super Bowl.”
(Noonan also wrote an exclusive post-football-season story for Boston, The Gronk You’re With, but who’s counting?)
Essentially, it looks like couple is wondering how Noonan, a newbie to the basics of image copyrights as a “self-published” internet writer, found the private photo in the first place. THR says it’s still being looked into, though a less than mighty Google “cute couple” search could be the perpetrator.
[THR]
