A judge has ruled that a monkey who took now-famous selfies cannot be declared the copyright owner of the photos, after activist group People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals ( PETA ) filed a lawsuit on its behalf in San Francisco.
The Indonesian simian, Naruto, shot to fame last year after a photographer, David Slater, published pictures taken by the monkey with his camera, in 2011. PETA petitioned the court to have Naruto declared the author and owner of his photograph.
But in a preliminary ruling, Judge William Orrick, ruled against Naruto. Slater had asked the court to dismiss the case, saying it should be up to the U.S. Congress and not a federal court to decide whether copyright law applied to animals.
The photos have been widely distributed by outlets, including Wikipedia, which contend that no one owns the copyright to the images because they were taken by an animal, not a person.
That decision isn’t necessarily final, though. The smiling macaque could reclaim her ownership if Congress decides to change copyright legislation. Orrick said.
“I’m not the person to weigh into this,” “This is an issue for Congress and the president. If they think animals should have the right of copyright they’re free, I think, under the Constitution, to do that.”
Jeff Kerr, general counsel for PETA, said the organisation will continue fighting for Naruto's rights
White people ehn...I'm sure the monkey herself does not even have their time.
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