Axl Rose wants his infamous fat photo removed from the internet

by Jeremy Mersereau

June 6, 2016

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Axl is trying to get Google to remove a 2010 live photo taken in Winnipeg.

Say what you will about their take on democracy, but Axl Rose is probably wishing for some Chinese-style internet censorship, at least if his trail of DMCA takedown notices is anything to go by.

The Lumen database is an archive that catalogues takedown requests and cease-and-desist notices in the interest of protecting free speech, informing the recipients of such notifications of their legal rights and responsibilities in the face of such notices. On May 31st, several takedown notices on behalf of the Guns N’ Roses/AC/DC frontman have been submitted by Google on Lumen, all relating to the best .jpeg ever digitized.

That’s right: Axl wants Fat Axl gone. Just in case you forgot what The Best Photo Ever looks like:

According to the TMNT superfan, this is a “Copyright image of Axl Rose. Please be advised that no permission has been granted to publish the copyright image so we cannot direct you to an authorized example of it.”

Seeing this beautiful photo again, it’s not hard to understand why Axl might want it scrubbed from the internet… after all, no one should take their meme-ification lightly, and brand damage is now as bad as actual, physical damage, at least according any digital marketing gurus worth their hoodie.

Does Axl have the legal justification to demand the unflattering pic be taken down, though? The shot was taken by photographer Boris Minkevich, and originally published in the Winnipeg Free Press back in 2010. So, Minkevich/the WFP must own the copyright, end of story, right? Not so fast: According to the Web Sheriff, the intellectual property rights company that sent the notices on behalf of Axl, photographers at any Guns N’ Roses shows must sign off on a contract that explicitly transfer copyright ownership to the performers.

Whatever the legalities surrounding the Fat Axl photo actually are, it’s worth noting that Google hasn’t complied with the notices, and all remain active and accessible to anyone who wants to chortle at the inexorable march of time. It’s unlikely the notices filed will have any effect on the photo’s online availability, best rest assured: Axl knows about it and wants it gone, and the Streisand effect has ensured we’ll all get to witness the glory of Fat Axl once more. Welcome to the jungle of the digital legal climate.

[h/t Torrentfreak]

Tags: TechMusic, News, WTF, Axl Rose, Guns N' Roses, Winnipeg

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