Harry & Meghan: Legal Actions against the Media

[Hallo girl]

Is it correct that in the USA the recipient of a letter is the owner. ?

It appears in the uk it is the writer who is the owner, I have been born and bred in the UK and didn't realise that, to be honest I have had no reason to be aware of it.

Just wondered if that changes the argument re the published letter.

 

[Gawin]

Is it correct that in the USA the recipient of a letter is the owner. ?

It appears in the uk it is the writer who is the owner, I have been born and bred in the UK and didn't realise that, to be honest I have had no reason to be aware of it.

Just wondered if that changes the argument re the published letter.

The recipient owns the letter (physical property) but not the copyright (intellectual property).

For example, I own the books in my possession but not the copyright. The authors do.

So if I receive a letter (or a book) I may keep it, destroy it, or even give it away, but I can't publish it or make copies.

Thomas Markle can show Meghan's original letters to the media but he can't send them copies he has made or publish them. And neither can the media.

 

[Hallo girl]

The recipient owns the letter (physical property) but not the copyright (intellectual property).

For example, I own the books in my possession but not the copyright. The authors do.

So if I receive a letter (or a book) I may keep it, destroy it, or even give it away, but I can't publish it or make copies.

Thomas Markle can show Meghan's original letters to the media but he can't send them copies he has made or publish them. And neither can the media.

Thank you for the clarification.

 

[wyevale]

Harry, Duke of Sussex loses complaint against the 'Mail on Sunday' :

https://www.lbcnews.co.uk/uk-news/prince-harry-loses-court-case-mail-on-sunday/

 

[Susan999]

To me, the Sussexes are coming across as a couple that can't take any kind of criticism. Some of their legal action was reasonable and justified, the complaint over the elephant photos was ridiculous. If you share photos publicly you have to be prepared for reasonable criticism.

 

[Betsypaige]

To me, the Sussexes are coming across as a couple that can't take any kind of criticism. Some of their legal action was reasonable and justified, the complaint over the elephant photos was ridiculous. If you share photos publicly you have to be prepared for reasonable criticism.

I have to agree.......I never heard about this until now. This is the kind of thing they are suing over? Boy, talk about thin skin. The only thing Harry and Meghan are accomplishing by taking such a litigious attitude towards any criticism is giving reason for people not to take them seriously.

 

[poppy7]

I have to agree.......I never heard about this until now. This is the kind of thing they are suing over? Boy, talk about thin skin. The only thing Harry and Meghan are accomplishing by taking such a litigious attitude towards any criticism is giving reason for people not to take them seriously.

I think everything about them is alarming but it isn't my problem and she doesn't really have a family and he has isolated himself from his so it isn't their problem either. I just hopes it goes well for them now. As humans. But I really want to move on from him and her. It's too much mental health red lights to deal with.

 

[Alison H]

I think Harry and Meghan need to learn that they cannot sue anyone who says the slightest word against them. I'm sure we all sometimes get upset over comments people make about our social media posts: imagine if everyone sued everyone who said something they didn't like!


The letter issue came up when Paul Burrell included letters sent by Prince Philip in his book about Diana. The recipient owns the actual piece of paper, for what a piece of paper's worth , but the sender owns what's written on it. In practice, it's not that uncommon for newspapers to publish extracts from letters. And everyone would probably have completely forgotten about the letter by now had Harry and Meghan not kept going on about it. Least said, soonest mended!

 

[Betsypaige]

I think Harry and Meghan need to learn that they cannot sue anyone who says the slightest word against them. I'm sure we all sometimes get upset over comments people make about our social media posts: imagine if everyone sued everyone who said something they didn't like!


The letter issue came up when Paul Burrell included letters sent by Prince Philip in his book about Diana. The recipient owns the actual piece of paper, for what a piece of paper's worth , but the sender owns what's written on it. In practice, it's not that uncommon for newspapers to publish extracts from letters. And everyone would probably have completely forgotten about the letter by now had Harry and Meghan not kept going on about it. Least said, soonest mended!

Exactly, and this wasn't even a personal thing; it was just a criticism of their website/photo. Honestly, if you can't handle this kind of mild criticism, you shouldn't be in the public eye..........or at the very least, stop reading everything that's written about you. I rolled my eyes at reading about Charles being a hypocrite because he flew to Davos on planes- or whatever the issue was - and I'm sure that if he happened to run into those comments, he would have also, though I suspect he's learned not to scour the papers or social media for his name. Harry and Meghan have got to learn to just get on with things and not care so much about what people are saying about them.

I think you're right that people would have forgotten about the letter; at most it would have had a shelf life of a day or so.

Harry keeps complaining about the media, but then he continues to do things that keep his name in the media.

 

[poppy7]

Harry keeps complaining about the media, but then he continues to do things that keep his name in the media.

Like his mother.

 

[Betsypaige]

Like his mother.

Based on what I've read, it seems so; it seems like he's reliving her own experience - maybe not deliberately, but even so. His father and step-mother are perfect examples of how to deal with the inevitable media scrutiny - and they had to live through the most humiliating revelations. I keep reading that Harry and William think their pa is a fuddy duddy, eccentric dude, but Charles has accumulated much wisdom in his 70 plus years, and I think Harry at this point needs to consider him a valuable resource.

 

[Eskimo]

Harry, Duke of Sussex loses complaint against the 'Mail on Sunday' :

https://www.lbcnews.co.uk/uk-news/prince-harry-loses-court-case-mail-on-sunday/

There was never a case here so I do not know what Harry and his legal advisers were thinking when they lodged the complaint

 

[HereditaryPrincess]

Exactly, and this wasn't even a personal thing; it was just a criticism of their website/photo. Honestly, if you can't handle this kind of mild criticism, you shouldn't be in the public eye..........or at the very least, stop reading everything that's written about you. I rolled my eyes at reading about Charles being a hypocrite because he flew to Davos on planes- or whatever the issue was - and I'm sure that if he happened to run into those comments, he would have also, though I suspect he's learned not to scour the papers or social media for his name. Harry and Meghan have got to learn to just get on with things and not care so much about what people are saying about them.

I think you're right that people would have forgotten about the letter; at most it would have had a shelf life of a day or so.

Harry keeps complaining about the media, but then he continues to do things that keep his name in the media.

I don't blame the Sussexes' reaction given the historic relations Prince Charles's sons have had with the press, but as the old saying goes, it takes two to tango. Not stating how the photo was taken was a fishy move from Harry and certainly heat, then get out of the kitchen - I don't expect the Sussexes to be recluses in Canada, of course, but this example and also reading negative and hate comments doesn't help. Naturally you'd be curious about what is written about you but if I were as famous as Meghan and Harry I doubt I would really bother much unless it was threatening to my safety and I needed to take action.

I'm so conflicted on this!

 

[QueenMathilde]

Tom Cruise used to do this back in the day. He would sue over the slightest mention of him. It only made everyone go after him harder. They're going to make things worse pursuing the media like this.

 

[Denville]

but they've always done this. They make out the meida are the big bad wolf.. and they're not nice people..but they are a fact of life for a working royal... and if you really can't pretned to get on with them, go to darkest furthest Alaska and become a recluse because they will follow you. And the more they make a fuss, like they did over Archie's birth, the more the media will try and put them down. As others have said, if they at least pretended to try and cooperate, the stories would disappear in a day or so.. if they'd said who A's godparents were, or where he was born at first, but they had to make a fuss about it..

 

[Missjersey]

I have to agree.......I never heard about this until now. This is the kind of thing they are suing over? Boy, talk about thin skin. The only thing Harry and Meghan are accomplishing by taking such a litigious attitude towards any criticism is giving reason for people not to take them seriously.

Well, I take them seriously being thin-skinned and loving attention

 

[Curryong]

You win some, you lose some. It has only been a few months since the Sussexes forced the Sun and Dan Wootten to apologise over a made up story that damaged their reputations regarding the car park near Frogmore Cottage.

https://www.pressgazette.co.uk/prin...acy-complaint-against-sun-parking-ban-splash/

And then there was the drone that one site sent over their Cotswolds home, trying to spy in their windows. The organisation concerned was forced to pay large damages for that one.

I believe those wildlife photos were being criticised at a time when the Fail was sending three to four negative articles PER DAY about the couple (mostly Meghan) to their online editions. Why should anyone have to put up with that? I certainly wouldn't!

And the Sunday Fail (plus Meghan detractors) may well be rejoicing about this win.However, might be as well to remember the old saw about he who laughs last. I believe Meghan will win her action against the DM over her father's letter. Hope so, hope this so brave news group are forced to apologise on the front page of their rag.

 

[wyevale]

You win some, you lose some.

Only if you're [serially] litigious...

 

[Curryong]

Well of course. It's perfectly fine to have drones looking in at your windows. You can always draw the blinds, even on sunny days. And three or four nasty and untrue stories per day for a year can always be dismissed with a happy laugh....!

 

[Denville]

But they can't sue all the time. Pick your battles. if they are now settling in Canada they may find the Canadian press isn't easy to deal with either....

 

[Curryong]

When are the Sussexes' suing 'all the time'? The Sun case was from months ago, as was the notice to sue the Sunday Mail over the letter. The wildlife photo thing was a complaint to the supervising body of the British Press, not a law suit. And I'm sure drones looking in your home (which was about a year ago) is something most people would not stand for.

 

[_Heather_]

I think it's fair to say that Harry and Meghan are fast developing a reputation as serial complainers whether that be through legal filings or complaints to the ruling/governing board of the British Press or others. I'd also say that they're being labeled more and more as notoriously thin-skinned and that certainly seems to be an accurate description.

 

[Osipi]

I may be off base on this but it was my understanding that the reason Harry got upset is that it alluded to the elephant being drugged and tethered in order for Harry to get a good photograph which is false.

The animals at the time were being relocated as a part of a conservation project.

Yeps. You win some and you lose some. What matters is standing up against a wrong and being heard.

 

[BaiSoSo]

When are the Sussexes' suing 'all the time'? The Sun case was from months ago, as was the notice to sue the Sunday Mail over the letter. The wildlife photo thing was a complaint to the supervising body of the British Press, not a law suit. And I'm sure drones looking in your home (which was about a year ago) is something most people would not stand for.

This wasn't a lawsuit it was a complaint to the IPSO....which is notorious for siding with the papers...they probably knew it was a long shot thought it was worth trying to hold the papers accountable for the lies they spread.

I think it's fair to say that Harry and Meghan are fast developing a reputation as serial complainers whether that be through legal filings or complaints to the ruling/governing board of the British Press or others. I'd also say that they're being labeled more and more as notoriously thin-skinned and that certainly seems to be an accurate description.

It boggles my mind that so many people say that they should just ignore the lies that are being spread about them and just accept the bullying behavior.

There were thousands (5 digits not 4) of articles written about Meghan with approx 75% of them being negative and mostly based on lies and untruths or harassment because she doesn't a relationship with certain people. People start to believe these lies and then her reputation is questioned all so some can make money. Yet no one can produce true negative behavior that Meghan displayed to justify it. (No affairs, no hanging out with pedophiles) Rest assure it happens to others as well but most don't have the finances or strength to fight back.

Luckily the Sussexes do and are trying to hold media accountable (as much as they can) because right now it is out of control. I'm glad they are doing as much as they can with the lawsuits.

 

[poppy7]

This wasn't a lawsuit it was a complaint to the IPSO....which is notorious for siding with the papers...they probably knew it was a long shot thought it was worth trying to hold the papers accountable for the lies they spread.



It boggles my mind that so many people say that they should just ignore the lies that are being spread about them and just accept the bullying behavior.

There were thousands (5 digits not 4) of articles written about Meghan with approx 75% of them being negative and mostly based on lies and untruths or harassment because she doesn't a relationship with certain people. People start to believe these lies and then her reputation is questioned all so some can make money. Yet no one can produce true negative behavior that Meghan displayed to justify it. (No affairs, no hanging out with pedophiles) Rest assure it happens to others as well but most don't have the finances or strength to fight back.

Luckily the Sussexes do and are trying to hold media accountable (as much as they can) because right now it is out of control. I'm glad they are doing as much as they can with the lawsuits.

Because it's not good for them. Because it is not giving them peace of mind. Because there is no point. Because the only way to stay out of the papers is to ignore the papers. There is virtually no point in doing any of this.

 

[Osipi]

It would make sense to me for Harry to file this with IPSO if he felt that the wrong information was being put across to the public and alluded that an animal was being mistreated by being drugged and tethered for the purpose of a picture.

Its not a good look for an Ambassador for United for Wildlife and actually working with conservationists in Africa to protect these animals. So, perhaps in a nutshell, it wasn't just about Harry himself with this complaint.

Just thoughts.

 

[hel]

That's not exactly what the complaint was about.



There's no doubt that the elephant was drugged and tethered. His complaint said as much.



His complaint was that the paper claimed that the cropping of the photo deliberately obscured the tethering, making the photo seem more interesting.

In his complaint he said he wasn't trying to hide the tethering: "A description and video of the tranquillising and tethering process was also on the website of the conservation organisation he was working with in Malawi, and his Instagram post had linked back to the website, he said."

 

[Osipi]

Thanks for the clarification, hel. Much appreciated. ?

 

[King of the Jungle]

That's not exactly what the complaint was about.



There's no doubt that the elephant was drugged and tethered. His complaint said as much.



His complaint was that the paper claimed that the cropping of the photo deliberately obscured the tethering, making the photo seem more interesting.

In his complaint he said he wasn't trying to hide the tethering: "A description and video of the tranquillising and tethering process was also on the website of the conservation organisation he was working with in Malawi, and his Instagram post had linked back to the website, he said."

Would not an explanation given by Harry, or the organisation, to clarify the tethering and showing the full picture have been more positive than to sue?
One could argue that making a picture more interesting could encourage more of the public to read the article and support the cause.

 

[QueenMathilde]

Well according to a "source" there's a whole legion of reporters camped outside their house in Canada - something that wouldn't have been allowed at Frogmore. So I don't see how this is easier. And I'm reading much worse about Meghan that I won't put up here. They'd do better to go after those publications.