Mrs. Faustina Djagbele Abbey, an onion seller at the Makola market near the central business district has filed a legal complaint against Telecommunication giant, Telecel Ghana, for the unauthorized use of her image, which constitutes a violation of her privacy rights.
The suit which was filed on May 23 by Madam Abbey’s lawyer, Bernard Owiredu Donkor of Thompson Consult, blames the company for the use of her image on their social media pages which according to the applicant infringes on her personal liberties and image rights.
Madam Abbey claims that the image that has been circulating for some time now has created enmity between her and her friends and family members, who believe that she has received considerable financial benefits as a result of her partnership with Telecel Ghana.
The company, in responding to the lawsuit in a statement, reassured the general public of its commitment of strictly adhering to concerns about privacy breach, intellectual property and imagery consent.
“Telecel is presently examining the specifics of this claim to ascertain the facts,” the company stated, adding: “We value the public’s patience as this process unfolds.”
The case highlights increasing apprehensions regarding corporate advertising tactics and the necessity of securing clear and explicit authorization prior to utilizing individuals’ photos for commercial reasons, especially in a digital era where such content can be rapidly distributed.
Madam Abbey has sued the company for Ghc2 million. The company made use of madam Abbey’s imageto promote its digital savings product, “Telecel Red Save.”
