#CopyrightLawDebate

[lillibetbunny]

Cheese! Or should I say bananas!

Selfies have become an integral part of popular culture in this generation. And in 2011, a group of macaque monkeys joined in the trend when nature photographer David Slater went to Indonesia to photograph wildlife.

During Slater’s absence, a cheeky monkey named Naruto managed to trigger the shutter and you’ve guessed it, took a few selfies. Those photographs soon went viral and became known as ‘monkey selfies’. However, not everyone was pleased by this peculiar turn of events. In 2014, an animal rights organisation, namely People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) filed a lawsuit against Slater, claiming that Naruto (the monkey) should be recognised as the copyright owner as he was the one who took the selfies. On the other hand, Slater argued that he should hold the copyright because he set up the camera equipment.

In the end, this case was dismissed because a federal district court in the United States ruled that copyright law did not extend to animals and animals couldn’t be considered legal authors. But before the court could issue a ruling, both parities reached a settlement where Slater agreed to donate a portion of the proceeds to animal welfare organisations. A win-win situation!

Naruto v. Slater (also known as the ‘Monkey Selfie Case’) sparked discussions about the evolving intersection between animal welfare and law, as well as raised awareness about the potential exploitation of animals for commercial gain surrounding wildlife photography.