Chinese woman’s mastectomy photos used for adverts without her consent
Wednesday, 16 May 20182:21 PM MYT
by liu zhen
A woman from Shanghai who shared pictures of her body on social media with friends after undergoing a mastectomy is demanding companies apologise for using the images in adverts without her permission, a news website reported.
Li Li, 50, a former model, underwent surgery to have a breast removed in 2016 after she was diagnosed with cancer, Thepaper.cn reported.
She later shared images of herself after surgery with friends on the messaging app WeChat. “To sisters who love their breasts, it doesn’t matter if you lose one of them. We can still live a brilliant life,” Li wrote in the captions for the pictures. “Like a goddess, I am proud of myself!”
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However, she recently discovered the photographs were being used in misleading adverts, without her permission.
The adverts – ranging from promotions for bras, breast massaging machines, beauty salons and acupuncture therapists – also gave her differing names and identities.
Some even suggested she had got breast cancer because she did not use their product or service, the report said.
“A bra to reduce your chance of breast cancer. Would you like that?” one advert said.
Another said: “You’ve been ignoring advice to do massage, now you’re losing your breast. God is fair.”
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Li was quoted as saying she wants apologies from the advertisers and them to detail the true nature of the pictures. She also said she would sue if her photographs were used again without her permission.
“It’s not just a matter of portraiture rights. It’s using my misfortune to mislead and deceive customers,” she was quoted as saying.
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