PIN-UP demands media outlets remove articles, citing copyright infringement

The start of the dispute: an article about Igor Fisun

The conflict between the company PIN-UP and the media space arose against the backdrop of a publication dedicated to Igor Fisun and his connections with the payment business. PIN-UP representatives demanded the removal of this material, citing copyright infringement. According to them, the article used a photograph featuring the company's branding.

However, no documents have been provided to the editors confirming that PIN-UP is the author of this image, commissioned its creation with the transfer of exclusive rights, or purchased such rights on the market.

Expansion of claims to other materials

Following the initial demand, the scale of the claims increased significantly. The company sent demands for the removal of eight URLs. This list included various language versions and AMP versions of the original material, as well as a separate article dedicated to Maksym Sygalov and Kamilla Primakova.

In the latter publication, the mention of PIN-UP is contained only in the journalistic text. The company did not explain which of its copyrighted materials it believes were used in this article, or what specifically constitutes the infringement.

Legal aspects and possible consequences

Thus, the demands based on copyright go beyond the specific disputed image. This may indicate the use of such claims as a tool to pressure the editorial team. Although the protection of copyright is lawful if the rights to a specific work are properly confirmed, a demand to remove journalistic material solely due to a mention of the company requires separate and detailed justification.