Meme baby lawsuit against former Rep. Steve King set for trial in November
Former U.S. Rep. Steve King of Iowa will have to defend his campaign's social media memes in court after a judge agreed to let a copyright lawsuit against him proceed to trial.
King represented northwest Iowa from 2003 to 2021. He was sued in December 2020 by Lacey Griner, who holds the copyright to a photo of her son Sam as an infant clenching his fist during a beach vacation. Sam's expression of steely determination gave rise to the popular "success kid" online meme.
At issue in the lawsuit is a meme showing Sam — now superimposed over a background of the U.S. Capitol — urging King supporters to "fund our memes." It linked to a fundraising web page for King.
The image was used on King's campaign social media and through the online fundraising platform WinRed, without licensing from the Griners.
"Laney and Sam were both horrified to learn that Defendant has used Laney’s photograph of Sam and Sam’s likeness as campaign propaganda for King, someone whose statements and beliefs they find abhorrent," according to the complaint.
https://www.yahoo.com/entertainment/meme-baby-lawsuit-against-former-104508811.html
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