httpss://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DK_0jXPuIr0
On Wednesday, New York’s Daily News had a Kim Kardashian instant, by posting a run of naked Justin Bieber pictures nearly breaking the Internet.
Billboard spoke with two California-based legal experts – Peter T. Haven and criminal defense attorney Mike Cavalluzzi – to see if they agree with the Bieber team’s approach and whether the pictures are even legal in the first place.
“Justin Bieber is what you usually refer to as a public figure, when folks are in plain view or public viewpoint, they’re exposing themselves to the whole world, and anyone can take an image of you when you’re standing out in public view,” Haven tells Billboard.
“When you determine the newsworthiness of something, it does not have to be serious news. It does not need to be news that is educational. It merely must be an issue that engages the public interest. Justin Bieber has placed himself into the public eye. He is always posting sexy pictures of himself on Twitter and on social media, which clearly shows he is using his sexuality to engage the public. That’s what the lawyers for anybody that has got the photograph would claim. He is a public figure, he’s made his sexuality a portion of his fame and so the fact these go a step further are fair game.”
For the legal measures the singer could take, Haven proposes Bieber could maintain he was hurt or humiliated by the photos – nonetheless, “I personally don’t believe much of any of those claims,” he says, adding, “But the courthouses are generally open five days each week, and anybody can file a lawsuit if they want.”
Cavalluzzi concurs t isn’t much legal recourse, saying Bieber has had a long, advantageous relationship with the media which should be expected to come with effects.
plenty of comparisons are made involving the Bieber photographs and last year’s celebrity naked photo leak, but Haven says that isn’t an appropriate analogy.
Aside from the cease and desist, Bieber and his camp have remained silent regarding the nude pictures up to now, not offering any public statement or reaction.