TorrentFreak.com is reporting that Guns N’ Roses frontman Axl Rose has had Web Sheriff send DMCA notices on his behalf to Google to take down a photo that has led to ‘fat’ memes. Google have posted the DMCA noticed on LumenDatabase.org. The photos are taken from a bad angle at a 2010 Winnipeg concert, with Rose looking significantly different in other photos from the same concert.
“We can gladly confirm that all official / accredited photographers at [Axl Rose] shows sign-off on ‘Photography Permission’ contracts / ‘Photographic Release’ agreements which A. specify and limit the manner in which the photos can be exploited and B. transfer copyright ownership in such photos to AR’s relevant service company,” Web Sheriff told TorrentFreak in a statement.
Web Sheriff also said even if the photos were taken unauthorized, ownership would still be in question.
“[If a photographer] was there and taking shots without permission or authority, then other considerations / factors would come-into-play as to what such individuals can and cannot do in terms of attempting to commercially exploit the resultant images of someone else’s show.”
TorrentFreak also tracked down Boris Minkevich at the Winnipeg Free Press, the man who took the photographs. Minkevich had no idea that Rose was trying to “cleanse the web” of his photo. “Either way the photo was stolen off our website with no permission granted by the Winnipeg Free Press.”
Google have not removed the photos, and ironically, TorrentFreak republished all of them including memes in their article about it.
