According to a lawsuit filed, Match has been using stock photography to represent “clients” of Match.com, even without seemingly their permission. In one case, Anne Read Lattimore is suing a photographer and two websites for using a photograph to imply that she is was single and looking for some sweet lovin’ on Match.com.
The lawsuit says that Lattimore had agreed to be photographed after getting a haircut from a salon, for the exclusive use of the salon in promoting itself. Unfortunately for her, the photographer uploaded the photo to Stock.xchng, a free photo site owned by Getty Images.
According to her, then Match.com used her photo for ads on Facebook, implying that she was single. Friends and family in response wondered why her face was being used by Match.com. On top of that, she says that the photo was also used in a story about homosexual’s coming out of the closet, implying that she was gay.
More than likely Match didn’t use the photograph themselves, but an affiliate used it. Whoever the affiliate was, will most likely be sued also for using her likeness without permission. This seems to be a serious issue in our industry, especially with Facebook ads that are often created for companies by independent affiliates. Many times the affiliates just use photographs they find off the ‘net, but in this case the affiliate seems to have used a photograph on a free exchange that they believed to be legal to use.
What are your thoughts?
Copy of lawsuit below:
