Lucasfilm is demanding that popular photo-sharing site ImageShack cough up the identity of one of its users the studio says uploaded an infringing photograph connected to its upcoming Star Wars movie.
ImageShack has already deleted the picture from user "Darth-Simi" whose account was used to post a picture that was described as a villain from the upcoming Star Wars: The Force Awakens movie. The image included a glimpse of a red crossguard lightsaber like the one showed in a teaser trailer officially released in November. Lucasfilm's parent company, Disney, is seeking a San Francisco federal court to order California-based ImageShack to turn over Darth-Simi's personal information.
The studio is making the demand [PDF] to remove the picture "Star Wars Episode VII Costume Design and Photograph" under the Digital Millennium Copyright Act.
The DMCA requires Internet Service Providers like ImageShack to remove images upon a rightsholder's request or become legally liable for hosting them. The act grants rightsholder's the right to sue infringers for up to $150,000 per violation. The DMCA also gives a rightsholder the power of subpoena to unmask infringers.
The J.J. Abrams-directed movie is expected to debut in December.
ImageShack, of Los Gatos, Calif., did not immediately respond for comment.
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