With the popularity and influence of Disney teens like Miley Cyrus and the Jonas Brothers, the above question easily gets anyone’s attention. That is why Brenda Song sued an escort service that used her photo in personal ads that appeared in L.A. Weekly in April 2008.
The ad featured Song’s—aka “Layla’s”— image with a phone number and tagline that said “Come get lei’d.” According to a more elaborate article on E! Online news, Song’s lawyer actually called the number and was promised a meeting with the girl in the image. Vibe Media Inc. is the company responsible for the ad.
Song sued the company and its owner, Ali Askari, for $100,000 charging “libel, intentional infliction of emotional distress and commercial misappropriation of her photo and likeness.” The lawsuit was revised when Vanessa Sena was found to be responsible for creating the ad. The ad was actually for Cityvibe.com, an escort service and subsidiary of Vibe Media Inc.
This photo from The Insider shows the ad side-by-side with a picture of Song easily found on the internet
On March 5, the final judgment required Sena to pay Song $16,000 for the harm done by the ad and to write a personal letter of apology. If both actions are not done by December 1, Sena will have to pay $100,000.
The article itself is very straightforward and uses an inverted pyramid format. This type of writing is typical and effective for online news sites that attract readers who quickly browse for interesting stories.
This case is a great example of how harmful libel can truly be. The influence these Disney stars have is astounding; moreover, the possibility of children viewing a role model in this light is not acceptable. Thankfully, Star's representatives caught the ad and justice was served.
Great post. Thanks for including a cutline with the photo. Do you think $16,000 was too little for the offense?
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