PM Imran gets Twitter grief for sharing photos without credit

Netizens criticise the premier over copyright infringement

Prime Minister Imran Khan has come under fire on Twitter over photos of Gilgit-Baltistan that were shared from his official Twitter handle without crediting the photographer.

On Sunday, the PM tweeted mesmerising photos of Gilgit-Baltistan with the caption: "The colours of Gilgit Baltistan just before the onset of winter. One of my favourite places on this earth."

The colours of Gilgit Baltistan just before the onset of winter. One of my favourite places on this earth. pic.twitter.com/qdhGqkZ2Fx

— Imran Khan (@ImranKhanPTI) December 6, 2020

While the post quickly racked up likes and retweets, it also evoked a rather sarcastic response from the photographer as well as a reminder that his picture had not been credited.

 

Thank you sir @ImranKhanPTI for sharing my picture but it would have been great if my watermark haven’t being cropped & credits may have been given to me. https://t.co/HaeXsVQPbP

— Asmar’s Photography (@asmarhussain110) December 7, 2020

It started a deluge of criticism, with some Twitter users urging the photographer to report the post and sue the premier for stealing intellectual property.

This is theft and unacceptable. In a civilised country you could have sued the honourable PM

— M (@subachahai) December 7, 2020

If it's your product why don't you sue him? It's your right. This is also considered corruption, that too at the highest level of govt. matlab ab PM screenshots le kar crop kar ke pictures upload karega just because usko credit nahi dena? Prove it and sue him

— Haseeb Ghauri (@haseebghauri) December 7, 2020

Its shocking how shamelessly these supporters of Imran Khan defending plagiarism, an act of IPR law violation.
To apologise would be the honorable thing to do by the PM.@PakPMO @CustomsIpre

— TerracottaWarrior (@SyedKhawarmehdi) December 7, 2020

Kindly report the tweet as it is violating the rules....

— Zulfikar (@Zee___Zee) December 7, 2020

That's a violation of intellectual copyright laws. By the Office of the Prime Minister. Great example 😒

— 𝓛𝓪𝓪𝓵𝓮𝓮𝓷 لعلین✨𝓹𝓮𝓻𝓼𝓸𝓷𝓪𝓵 𝓿𝓲𝓮𝔀𝓼 (@laaleen) December 7, 2020

 

Don’t worry! Politicians are used to taking credit for jobs done by others.

— Ahmad Riza siddiqi (@rizasiddiqi) December 7, 2020

 

While some Imran Khan stalwarts pointed out that the premier never claimed the pictures were his own and the whole issue could have been an oversight by the PM's social media team.

Lol he just shared he didn't claimed these pics as his own.

— Laraib Ali Magsi🦋 (@Laraib_Magsi) December 7, 2020

 

you got popularity by liking and sharing your pix what else you want? he might not have known it's shot by you. how can he figure out if he got cropped one?

— Dark Justice🎭 (@iAmKingAbbasi) December 7, 2020

It may have been the fault of person who provided these pics to Mr. PM

— ANS 🇵🇰 (@ansqureshi15) December 7, 2020

Consider that these might have reached them without the watermark.

— Umar Farooq Khawaja (@UmarFKhawaja) December 7, 2020

Of late, celebrities and politicians have been in the spotlight for copyright infringement issues, which occur when they share photos taken by photographers without buying a license or asking for their permission. Hollywood supermodels Emily Ratajkowski and Bella Hadid have also dealt with copyright lawsuits this year.

Earlier this year, in an attempt to save intellectual property, Instagram also cited that any photo shared without photographers’ permission will not be embedded on the application.