Can A Monkey Own A Copyright?

[naomi24]

I've just heard part of a most bizarre discussion on the radio.

Wikipedia refuses to delete a selfie taken by a monkey that hijacked a photographer's camera, claiming that since the monkey took the picture it owns the copyright.


http://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/news/11015672/Wikipedia-refuses-to-delete-photo-as-monkey-owns-it.html

[whiskeryron]

I don't see why not when they can belong to some governments

[wolf63]

What is the monkey going to do with the royalties?

I think that Mr Slater owns the rights but he should give a donation of money towards monkey welfare.

I don't even want to get my head around the problem as making this a legal argument takes us into the territory of Elephant paintings. If an Elephant paints a painting are any amounts raised by the sale of the painting owned by that Elephant?

[retrocop]

Well if a monkey can commit treason and be hung for it I suppose he is entitled to own a copyright as well.

[Old_Geezer]

The monkey will buy bananas, of course.

[naomi24]

The argument I listened to was 'Do human laws apply to animals?' Someone said that if a monkey (or any other animal) kills someone, it's not 'charged' with murder and hauled up before a court, so no, they don't.

[TWR]

How can this be so? a monkey is an animal, does not have a birth cert, not registered in birth within the Gov, the monkey Stole the Camera, never paid for the Unit, never paid for the Card, it was theft from a Human! If I'm wrong I will most likely be told different.

[retrocop]

Tell that one to the monkey chokers in Hartlepool naomi.My mistake the crime was being a French spy and not Treason.

[dannyk13]

Hope your not intending to visit Hartlepool any time soon Retro.:-)

[naomi24]

retrocop, hardly 'law'.

http://www.thisishartlepool.co.uk/history/thehartlepoolmonkey.asp

[Prudie]

Beware it is the thin end of the wedge - in 20 years time Monkeys will be campaigning for the right to marry in church.

[stuey]

God created man in His own image; man created the camera; monkey created image with man's camera; therefore, God knows who owns copyright.

[royfromaus]

If I take a camerabelonging to someone else and take a selfie, I doubt I would own the copyright. Wicki should take the pic down if that is what the photographer wants.

[Peter Pedant]

Nichty Naomi

Animals are not persons in law and have few rights.

Wiki are saying that as the monkey took the selfie, that no one owns the copyright which I think is equally tenuous.

It is not the first to trigger a camera and so I dont see that this will get up and run

[jomifl]

If a camera with an in-built timer takes the photo does the camera own the copyright?

[jomifl]

In law only humans can own property, intellectual or material.

[boxtops]

If that's the same monkey with a typewriter who wrote the Works of Shakespeare, he must be a rich little fellow -)

[stuey]

Boxtops, that would have been the monkey's uncle who did the Works of Shakespeare.

[Gromit]

I would say yes it can own copyright, but not in this instance.
Rather like pictures can be taken with a movement sensor, the object causing the camera to take the picture does not own it. A burglar does not own the copyright on your CCTV film of him. The monkey's actions caused the camera to function rather than it took a photo.

I don't understand how the picture got onto wikimedia in the first place. Surely whoever uploads original photos owns them, and can remove them at any time.

[Mosaic]

I expect Monkey doesn't want anyone making a monkey of him online.

[Prudie]

Gromit clearly the monkey uploaded it