Model In Dubai Asks For AED 6 Million After Property Developer Uses Photo Without Permission

A Dubai model has demanded AED 6 million in damages from a property developer for misusing his photo in advertisements to market the developer’s apartments. The model had signed a deal with the developer to use his image for a year in the marketing of a new housing project, as per the Dubai Courts. He later found out that the developer had been using his photograph on billboards all around the emirate for the previous three years. According to records, he was paid AED 30,000 for the use of his photograph for a year.

“The agreement was to use one picture for one year in the marketing of a new property project. My picture was used in the project’s booklet. But they used the picture for three years on billboards in Dubai,” the model said in official records.

The model said that the company had added a ring to his hand in the billboard picture, which affected his personal life very badly as his fiancé broke up with him. He informed the corporation officially about the misuse of his image, and the company deleted his image from the marketing campaign and compensated him with AED 50,000. He turned down the offer and filed a civil lawsuit against the developer instead.

One of the model’s friends noticed the photo on a billboard in Dubai, proving that the photo was still being used after the completion of the contract period. The developer was ordered to pay AED 213,750 in compensation by the Dubai Court of First Instance. The compensation was then lowered to AED 142,500 by the Appeal Court.

The model went to the Cassation Court, which ordered a new trial. The model demanded Dh6 million in compensation, but the developer claimed the model had no right to it because he had suffered no harm. The developer, on the other hand, was sentenced to pay Dh142,500 in compensation by the Appeal Court.