3 ms·

Would copyrighting a picture of your face be sufficient? Other than a picture of your face, how does the form of your face exist, so as to be pointed to in a le

Would copyrighting a picture of your face be sufficient? Other than a picture of your face, how does the form of your face exist, so as to be pointed to in a legal setting where copyright is enforced? It would have to be a picture, graphic representation. Are these 'naturally created things'?

mirimir 10y ago
Well, I do see that celebrities have filed lawsuits against videogame makers over profiting from their faces.[0] But the key there, I think, is "profiting". They can't prevent use in news coverage, even. So anyway, I doubt that one could copyright one's picture. But IANAL. 0) http://www.mtv.com/news/1872058/video-game-celebrity-lawsuits/ http://www.mtv.com/news/1872058/video-game-celebrity-lawsuit...
- mikekchar 10y ago
  My understanding is as follows: You absolutely can receive a copyright for a picture of a face, just as much as you can receive a copyright for a picture of a mountain. The face does not receive a copyright, and neither does a mountain. Your likeness is clearly something in the public. I can't sue people for looking at me without paying, for instance. Your likeness could very well be a trademark, though. Especially celebrities do business expressly based on their likeness. It is their brand and they can probably protect it. So you can't use that likeness/brand without their permission (as long as they protect that mark). IANAL, of course, and I could easily be wrong.
- TheSpiceIsLife 10y ago
  What if you take a picture of your face and throw in some after effects, lighting and such. Then it's a work of art right? And those can be copyrighted. But then I suppose your new novel copyrighted artwork is subject to fair use for eg. drivers licenses etc.
  - mirimir 10y ago
    Right, fair use, and public-safety arguments.
  - Angostura 10y ago
    The NSA could photoshop on a funny hat and say it was a parody.

mirimir 10y ago

Well, I do see that celebrities have filed lawsuits against videogame makers over profiting from their faces.[0] But the key there, I think, is "profiting". They can't prevent use in news coverage, even. So anyway, I doubt that one could copyright one's picture. But IANAL. 0) http://www.mtv.com/news/1872058/video-game-celebrity-lawsuits/ http://www.mtv.com/news/1872058/video-game-celebrity-lawsuit...

mikekchar 10y ago
My understanding is as follows: You absolutely can receive a copyright for a picture of a face, just as much as you can receive a copyright for a picture of a mountain. The face does not receive a copyright, and neither does a mountain. Your likeness is clearly something in the public. I can't sue people for looking at me without paying, for instance. Your likeness could very well be a trademark, though. Especially celebrities do business expressly based on their likeness. It is their brand and they can probably protect it. So you can't use that likeness/brand without their permission (as long as they protect that mark). IANAL, of course, and I could easily be wrong.
TheSpiceIsLife 10y ago
What if you take a picture of your face and throw in some after effects, lighting and such. Then it's a work of art right? And those can be copyrighted. But then I suppose your new novel copyrighted artwork is subject to fair use for eg. drivers licenses etc.
- mirimir 10y ago
  Right, fair use, and public-safety arguments.
- Angostura 10y ago
  The NSA could photoshop on a funny hat and say it was a parody.