Okla. Stat. tit. 12, § 12-1449
This is the official text of Okla. Stat. tit. 12, § 12-1449, part of Oklahoma’s Stat. tit. 12, — part of the compiled statutory law of Oklahoma, published by the state as "Stat. tit. 12,." Browse the sections below, each linked to its official government source.
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Unauthorized use of another person's rights of publicity
Official statutory text
- Damages - Consent - Presumptions - Fact questions - Exemptions.
A. Any person who knowingly uses another's name, voice,
signature, photograph, or likeness, in any manner, on or in
products, merchandise, or goods, or for purposes of advertising or
selling, or soliciting purchases of, products, merchandise, goods,
or services, without such person's prior consent, or, in the case of
a minor, the prior consent of his parent or legal guardian, shall be
liable for any damages sustained by the person or persons injured as
a result thereof, and any profits from the unauthorized use that are
attributable to the use shall be taken into account in computing the
actual damages. In establishing such profits, the injured party or
parties are required to present proof only of the gross revenue
attributable to such use, and the person who violated this section
is required to prove his or her deductible expenses. Punitive
damages may also be awarded to the injured party or parties. The
prevailing party in any action under this section shall also be
entitled to attorney's fees and costs.
B. As used in this section, "photograph" means any photograph
or photographic reproduction, still or moving, or any videotape or
live television transmission, of any person, such that the person is
readily identifiable.
1. A person shall be deemed to be readily identifiable from a
photograph when one who views the photograph with the naked eye can
reasonably determine that the person depicted in the photograph is
the same person who is complaining of its unauthorized use.
2. If the photograph includes more than one person so
identifiable, then the person or persons complaining of the use
shall be represented as individuals rather than solely as members of
a definable group represented in the photograph. A definable group
includes, but is not limited to, the following examples: A crowd at
any sporting event, a crowd in any street or public building, the
audience at any theatrical or stage production, a glee club, or a
baseball team.
3. A person or persons shall be considered to be represented as
members of a definable group if they are represented in the
photograph solely as a result of being present at the time the
photograph was taken and have not been singled out as individuals in
any manner.
C. Where a photograph or likeness of an employee of the person
using the photograph or likeness appearing in the advertisement or
other publication prepared by or in behalf of the user is only
incidental, and not essential, to the purpose of the publication in
which it appears, there shall arise a rebuttable presumption
affecting the burden of producing evidence that the failure to
obtain the consent of the employee was not a knowing use of the
employee's photograph or likeness.
Oklahoma Statutes - Title 12. Civil Procedure Page 295
D. For purposes of this section, a use of a name, voice,
signature, photograph, or likeness in connection with any news,
public affairs, or sports broadcast or account, or any political
campaign, shall not constitute a use for which consent is required
under subsection A of this section.
E. The use of a name, voice, signature, photograph, or likeness
in a commercial medium shall not constitute a use for which consent
is required under subsection A of this section solely because the
material containing such use is commercially sponsored or contains
paid advertising. Rather it shall be a question of fact whether or
not the use of the person's name, voice, signature, photograph, or
likeness was so directly connected with the commercial sponsorship
or with the paid advertising as to constitute a use for which
consent is required under subsection A of this section.
F. Nothing in this section shall apply to the owners or
employees of any medium used for advertising, including, but not
limited to, newspapers, magazines, radio and television networks and
ure, photograph, or
likeness was so directly connected with the commercial sponsorship
or with the paid advertising as to constitute a use for which
consent is required under subsection A of this section.
F. Nothing in this section shall apply to the owners or
employees of any medium used for advertising, including, but not
limited to, newspapers, magazines, radio and television networks and
stations, cable television systems, billboards, and transit ads, by
whom any advertisement or solicitation in violation of this section
is published or disseminated, unless it is established that such
owners or employees had knowledge of the unauthorized use of the
person's name, voice, signature, photograph, or likeness as
prohibited by this section.
G. The remedies provided for in this section are cumulative and
shall be in addition to any others provided for by law.
A. Any person who knowingly uses another's name, voice,
signature, photograph, or likeness, in any manner, on or in
products, merchandise, or goods, or for purposes of advertising or
selling, or soliciting purchases of, products, merchandise, goods,
or services, without such person's prior consent, or, in the case of
a minor, the prior consent of his parent or legal guardian, shall be
liable for any damages sustained by the person or persons injured as
a result thereof, and any profits from the unauthorized use that are
attributable to the use shall be taken into account in computing the
actual damages. In establishing such profits, the injured party or
parties are required to present proof only of the gross revenue
attributable to such use, and the person who violated this section
is required to prove his or her deductible expenses. Punitive
damages may also be awarded to the injured party or parties. The
prevailing party in any action under this section shall also be
entitled to attorney's fees and costs.
B. As used in this section, "photograph" means any photograph
or photographic reproduction, still or moving, or any videotape or
live television transmission, of any person, such that the person is
readily identifiable.
1. A person shall be deemed to be readily identifiable from a
photograph when one who views the photograph with the naked eye can
reasonably determine that the person depicted in the photograph is
the same person who is complaining of its unauthorized use.
2. If the photograph includes more than one person so
identifiable, then the person or persons complaining of the use
shall be represented as individuals rather than solely as members of
a definable group represented in the photograph. A definable group
includes, but is not limited to, the following examples: A crowd at
any sporting event, a crowd in any street or public building, the
audience at any theatrical or stage production, a glee club, or a
baseball team.
3. A person or persons shall be considered to be represented as
members of a definable group if they are represented in the
photograph solely as a result of being present at the time the
photograph was taken and have not been singled out as individuals in
any manner.
C. Where a photograph or likeness of an employee of the person
using the photograph or likeness appearing in the advertisement or
other publication prepared by or in behalf of the user is only
incidental, and not essential, to the purpose of the publication in
which it appears, there shall arise a rebuttable presumption
affecting the burden of producing evidence that the failure to
obtain the consent of the employee was not a knowing use of the
employee's photograph or likeness.
Oklahoma Statutes - Title 12. Civil Procedure Page 295
D. For purposes of this section, a use of a name, voice,
signature, photograph, or likeness in connection with any news,
public affairs, or sports broadcast or account, or any political
campaign, shall not constitute a use for which consent is required
under subsection A of this section.
E. The use of a name, voice, signature, photograph, or likeness
in a commercial medium shall not constitute a use for which consent
is required under subsection A of this section solely because the
material containing such use is commercially sponsored or contains
paid advertising. Rather it shall be a question of fact whether or
not the use of the person's name, voice, signature, photograph, or
likeness was so directly connected with the commercial sponsorship
or with the paid advertising as to constitute a use for which
consent is required under subsection A of this section.
F. Nothing in this section shall apply to the owners or
employees of any medium used for advertising, including, but not
limited to, newspapers, magazines, radio and television networks and
ure, photograph, or
likeness was so directly connected with the commercial sponsorship
or with the paid advertising as to constitute a use for which
consent is required under subsection A of this section.
F. Nothing in this section shall apply to the owners or
employees of any medium used for advertising, including, but not
limited to, newspapers, magazines, radio and television networks and
stations, cable television systems, billboards, and transit ads, by
whom any advertisement or solicitation in violation of this section
is published or disseminated, unless it is established that such
owners or employees had knowledge of the unauthorized use of the
person's name, voice, signature, photograph, or likeness as
prohibited by this section.
G. The remedies provided for in this section are cumulative and
shall be in addition to any others provided for by law.
Status: in_force · Read it on the official government site
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