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3 March 2017Copyright

Photographer takes on BuzzFeed in copyright suit

A London-based Italian photojournalist has accused media website BuzzFeed of infringing his copyright in a photograph.

Alessandro Masi alleged that BuzzFeed reproduced and publicly displayed the photo of four young participants in the Azov Battalion summer camp located in Buzova, Ukraine.

Azov Battalion summer camp is organised by the Azov Regiment, part of Ukraine’s National Guard.

The lawsuit was filed at the US District Court for the District of New York on Wednesday, March 1.

The photo is registered at the US Copyright Office under registration number VAu001261303.

In October last year, BuzzFeed published an article on its website called “10 Incredible Photo Stories You Absolutely Can’t Miss”. Masi’s photo was one of the ten featured.

“BuzzFeed did not licence the photograph from plaintiff for its article, nor did BuzzFeed have plaintiff’s permission or consent to publish the photograph on its website,” said the claim.

The claim added that the infringement has been “wilful, intentional, and purposeful, in disregard of and with indifference to plaintiff’s rights”.

Masi is seeking damages and profits, or alternatively statutory damages of up to $150,000 per work infringed.

He is also seeking an account of profits, attorneys’ fees, costs and a jury trial.

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