This is probably how the conversation in Hollywood “attorney to the stars” Marty Singer’s office went:
“Who can we sue over these leaked celebrity photos?”
“The people who did the hacking?”
“Nah, they probably don’t have enough money.”
“Maybe Reddit or 4chan, since they hosted the photos?”
“Maybe, but could we go bigger?”
“Um, maybe Google, since people used it to search for them?”
“What’s Google’s estimated worth?”
“It was $395 billion last February.”
“Perfect, let’s do that.”
And so it came to be that Singer yesterday sent a letter to Google threatening a $100 million lawsuit over the leaked nude celebrity photos that have been seen by basically everyone who has an Internet connection. Among the highlights of this letter are the following quotes:
- “We are writing concerning Google’s despicable, reprehensible conduct in not only failing to act expeditiously and responsibly to remove the images but in knowingly accommodating, facilitating and perpetuating the unlawful conduct.”
- “Google’s ‘Don’t Be Evil’ is a sham.”
- “Like the NFL, which has turned a blind eye while its players assaulted and victimized women and children, Google has turned a blind eye while its sites repeatedly exploit and victimize these women.”
Without mentioning specific names, Singer purports to be “litigation counsel for over a dozen female celebrities, actresses, models and athletes whose confidential, personal private photos and videos were recently hacked,” and wants Google to remove any and all traces of the images from Google hosted/owned sites, as well as from their search engine.
Whether this is even a feasible request is subject to debate, especially considering that once something hits the internet it is virtually impossible to take it back.
[via Deadline]
