A US-based professional photojournalist has sued luxury jewellery company Tiffany & Co for copyright infringement.
Peter Gould filed his suit (pdf) against Tiffany at the US District Court for the Southern District of New York on Friday, February 10.
Gould argued that Tiffany infringed his copyright in a photograph of jewellery designer Elsa Peretti, as well as removing copyright management information.
According to the claim, Gould is the sole owner of the photograph and has a pending US copyright registration, number 1-4189520005.
The suit said Gould licenses his photographs to online, print and television stations for a fee.
Gould alleged that Tiffany had featured the photograph on its website but “intentionally and knowingly removed copyright management information identifying Gould as the photographer”.
Tiffany, according to the suit, did not license the photograph or have permission from Gould to publish it on the site.
Gould asked for actual damages, profits or statutory damages of between $2,500 and $25,000 for each instance of false copyright management information used by Tiffany, costs, expenses, attorneys’ fees, pre-judgment interest and a jury trial.
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