Paper Magazine Files Copyright, RICO Case Over Alleged Scheme to Hold its Instagram Account Hostage for $4.6 Million

Fascinating article from Fashion Law Blog about Paper Magazine’s fight to get back its Insta account, we presume in 2020 it is their main method for communicating with  “readers”.

FLB write

As of early this month, Paper magazine had amassed a following of 1.7 million users on Instagram. By way of its account, the 36-year-old, New York-based publication – that is probably best known (at least as of late) for its 2014 “Break the internet” issue featuring Kim Kardashian, which garnered the outlet more than 34 million unique page-views – caters to fashion and pop culture fans with everything from the latest in high fashion imagery and celebrity style shots to features on the hottest up-and-coming talents in the music industry. That is until its account on the Facebook-owned platform abruptly disappeared a few weeks ago. 

On July 8, Paper’s Instagram account went from active to “unavailable,” leaving users who attempt to access the page with a message alerting them that “the link you followed may be broken, or the page may have been removed.” According to Paper, the link is not broken, and the shutdown, which is still in effect, is the work of a handful of entities – including paparazzi photo licensing agencies BackGrid, Xposure, and Splash News, and a photo tech company called Okularity – that are demanding $4.6 million in exchange for remedying the situation.

Read full article at. https://www.thefashionlaw.com/paper-magazine-files-copyright-rico-case-over-alleged-scheme-to-hold-its-instagram-account-hostage-for-4-6-million/

 

Here’s what Paper have to say

No, we haven’t blocked you — Instagram has blocked PAPER.

On July 8, 2020, Instagram disabled our account (@papermagazine), due to copyright notices filed by a company called Okularity. Our lawyers allege that Okularity crawls the internet for unauthorized use of images in order to extort account holders.

This is becoming increasingly common. Celebrities from Kim Kardashian to David Beckham are now being sued for posting unauthorized paparazzi photos of themselves, while several highly followed archival Instagram accounts have recently been disabled, as well.

With more than 1.7 million followers on Instagram, PAPER‘s ability to communicate directly with our audience has been abruptly halted, and at a time when media coverage is more crucial than ever. It has also threatened our business, as so many magazines — and consequently their employees’ positions — are facing the financial repercussions of COVID-19.

That is why we are working with our legal team to fight this extortion and regain access to our Instagram account.

For now, you can follow us on TikTok, Twitter, and Facebook.

https://www.papermag.com/paper-instagram-2646447356.html?rebelltitem=2#rebelltitem2