Underage Girl Sues Zigzag And Wins

by The Editors on November 16, 2009

583 585X355 2The weirdest surf media story we missed this week (and we’re putting this up more for ourselves since it’s already been up everywhere else) is from South Africa. According to IOL.com, a 12-year-old girl who was featured in Zigzag surf magazine in a “provacative pose” with the words “all-natural Eastern Cape honey” as a caption was awarded R10,000 (about $1,315.10) in damages by a South African court.

Judge Dennis Davis found it was “properly proved” that the publication was negligent in using the “pin-up” picture without the girl’s knowledge or her and her parents’ consent. . . . This finding was “fortified” by Section 28 of the constitution which found that the child’s best interests were always paramount. He also found the appropriation of her image for the publication’s commercial advantage infringed her dignity and privacy.

When we think about how many anonymous hot girl photos have run in surf magazines over the years, this could get pretty costly, let alone frightening for photographers in general. Zigzag magazine’s editor Will Bendix had to say: “Even though Zag has not been ordered to make any kind of public apology, we really do regret any distress it may have caused the girl, and wish her well for the future.” Click here for ZigZag’s side of the story.

[Link: IOL.com via Nugable.com]

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