3 Count: Instagram Wars

Two more celebrities sued...

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1: Cox Wants Judge, Not Jury, to Rule on Crucial Piracy Liability Questions

First off today, Ernesto at Torrentfreak writes that, in their legal battle with the RIAA, the U.S.-based ISP Cox is asking a court to step in and make a ruling about their liability rather than letting it go to a jury.

The RIAA sued Cox alleging that it wasn’t doing enough to stop piracy taking place on its network. Specifically, the RIAA claimed Cox was not disconnecting repeated infringers, something that is required by the law. The case has reached a jury trial and both sides have since presented their case. However, Cox doesn’t want a critical part of the case to go to the jury, claiming that the RIAA presented no evidence that its subscribers directly infringed.

Since they claim that the jury has no choice but to rule in their favor on the issue and that, even if they don’t, it would be an issue of pure speculation, Cox is asking the judge to make the ruling. They also request a similar judgment on the issue of damages. Previously, the court had ruled that these were issues for the jury to decide but Cox is hoping the court will change its mind now that both sides have presented their evidence at trial.

2: Liam Hemsworth Faces $150,000 Lawsuit Over Instagram Photo

Next up today, Vanessa Jackson at E! News reports that Liam Hemsworth is facing a lawsuit filed by Splash News and Picture Agency over the actor’s use of an image that they own on his Twitter account.

According to the lawsuit, in July 2018 Hemsworth posted a photo of himself on the site of the film Isn’t It Romantic. He then posted the photo on his Instagram Story in June 2019 to promote the film for the Teen Choice Movie Awards. However, even though Hemsworth is the subject of the photo, the copyright goes to the photographer in these cases and the photo is licensed through these agencies.

The lawsuit is just the latest in a string of celebrities being sued on Instagram for posting paparazzi photos. Many other celebrities have faced similar cases, with most choosing to settle out of court early in the process. In the meantime, the photo agencies, in this case, are seeking up to $150,000 in damages, the maximum amount under the law.

3: Rebel Wilson Gets Sued For Copyright Infringement Over Paparazzi Photos

Finally today, while we are on the subject of Instagram lawsuits, AceShowbiz writes that actress Rebel Wilson is also being sued over an Instagram photo, this time around by the Xposure Photo Agency.

According to the lawsuit, Wilson, or someone from her team, took photos published in the Daily Mail and put them on her Instagram page. This took place back in April 2018 and, according to Xposure, they sent a cease and desist letter in September but received no response.

In addition to damages of up to $150,000, they are also seeking an injunction to bar Wilson from publishing any more of their photos on her Instagram page.

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