The Price of Unauthorised Use: A Case of Diplomatic Copyright Violation

Government misuse of journalistic images undermines the integrity of editorial work, blurring ethical lines and violating the principles that protect press independence and neutrality.

In today’s media landscape, the relationship between journalism, image rights, and government narratives is increasingly fraught. For photojournalists, maintaining the integrity of their work is paramount, not only as a matter of professionalism but also to safeguard the ethical lines that separate editorial use from political manipulation. On Tuesday, September 24, 2024, I discovered the German Embassy in Kosovo had used one of my photographs without permission, sparking a debate on the sanctity of photojournalistic ethics and the rights of creators.

At the heart of the issue is a photograph I took on October 3, 2023, of a Kosovo Police vehicle driving past a damaged "Banjska" sign in the village of Banjska, Zvecan, Kosovo. This image was licensed for editorial purposes through dpa Picture-Alliance, a German press agency, with strict restrictions. The image, now shared on the German Embassy's Twitter and Facebook accounts, was used without proper credit or compensation. The fact that …