The Roadmap: Know Your Rights

The following is a brief summary of the personal rights of individuals and their legal relevance in filmmaking. These rights take on particular importance as they pertain to crime victims. Crime victims who are considering participation in a film or television program can benefit by reading through these terms. Follow the specific links to the Legal Rights section to gain a more in-depth understanding of each concept.

Public Domain

Public Domain refers to that which belongs to the community at-large. It is material for which no person or legal entity can establish ownership and it is material unprotected by copyright. Facts and events are public domain. Victims and survivors should familiarize themselves with the concept of public domain to better understand what kind of information about the case can be included in a film or program without their permission.

Read more on this at Chapter 3: Public Domain

The Right of Privacy

Individuals have the right to be left alone and to be free from unwarranted publicity. They also have a right to contest when their private information has been improperly used by the media. When you or your family member has been victimized, your privacy rights may change but not necessarily. It is helpful to be as clear as possible on your right to privacy if you are a crime victim and you wish to protect your privacy rights to the greatest degree possible.

Read more in Chapter 4: Personal Rights in our Legal Rights section.

Libel and Slander

Defamation is a false accusation or a malicious misrepresentation of your words or actions that harms your reputation. Written defamation is libel and oral defamation is slander. State laws vary on how they define the injury caused by the defamation but the concept could provide a degree of protection to you if a filmmaker unfairly (or unintentionally) casts doubt on your character.

Read more in Chapter 4: Personal Rights in our Legal Rights section.

False Light

A depiction can be false without causing injury and still be a cause of action. False reporting or material taken out of context so that it is misrepresents and is therefore embarrassing or harmful, is called “false light”.

Read more in Chapter 4: Personal Rights in our Legal Rights section.

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