In Rare Win, Ancestry.com Beats Back Publicity Claims Over Yearbook Photos
On Aug. 27, U.S. District Judge Edmund Sargus granted summary judgment after concluding that Ancestry.com hadn't used plaintiff John Wilson's photos for a commercial purpose.
September 03, 2024 at 04:14 PM
4 minute read
What You Need to Know
- In similar cases, ZoomInfo Technologies reached a $29.5 million settlement this year, and Whitepages Inc. paid $4 million in 2022
- Many judges have refused to dismiss similar class actions, including other lawsuits against Ancestry.com.
- After a sworn declaration by Ancestry.com Vice President of Global Content Todd Godfrey, the judge concluded that none of the advertising techniques alleged in the case were used with the plaintiff.
As kids return to schools throughout the country, Ancestry.com won a potentially critical ruling in a case alleging the website's use of old-yearbook photos violated a former student's right to publicity.
On Aug. 27, U.S. District Judge Edmund Sargus granted summary judgment after concluding that Ancestry.com had not used plaintiff John Wilson's photos for a commercial purpose. Sargus, of the Northern District of Ohio, specifically found that Wilson had not provided evidence that a user sought to "view records" related to him, generating a "pop-up" ad that would show his photos.
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