Barbara Streisand in May 2003 sicced her lawyers on a photographer whose shots of the California coastline, intended to document erosion, had captured Streisand’s seaside Malibu mansion. Streisand demanded the image come down off the Internet.
The photograph had only been downloaded six times, twice by Streisand’s lawyers, until the lawsuit in Los Angeles Superior Court became public. You can guess what happened then. Hundreds of thousands of Internet users downloaded, published, and shared it.
Real journalism.Trusted by millions.
Unlimited access to in-depth reporting, expert analysis, and the stories that shape our country.
Subscribe Now
Already a member? Log in
Print subscriber? Click here to login/register your account
Digital subscriber? Click here to login/register your account.