Facebook fan page rules deal devastating blow to tribute acts and impersonators
Kelly O’Brien looks like Dolly Parton, sounds like Dolly Parton and has even been endorsed by the country legend herself.
But she’s among a community of tribute acts who say Facebook rules are seeing their pages shut down, as the platform doesn’t allow people to pretend to be someone well known or speak for them without permission.
Working 9 to 5 as Dolly Parton
O’Brien, who has been performing as Dolly for years, had 4,500 followers to her page which was recently taken down, and says she built those up after a page she had with 15,000 followers was taken down last year.
She says it’s devastating.
“This is my full-time job – it’s not something that I do on the side.
“This is something I take very seriously, I work really hard, I pay a lot of money – like [Dolly Parton] says, it takes a lot of money to look this cheap!
“And then all of a sudden, all that work you put into your business, it’s just gone, and you’re like, ‘Wow, where do I go now?’… So, it’s very sad.”
Facebook’s parent company Meta says they do allow fan pages but require users to make it clear that they are not the actual celebrity and are not “speaking in the voice of” that person or act.
Hayleigh Bosher is a senior lecturer in Intellectual Property Law at Brunel University.
She says Facebook – and other sites – are following rules designed to protect artists.
“From the perspective of the social media platform, they have to make sure they’re upholding the rights of rightsholders to avoid being sued themselves.
“So that’s the reason why they’re probably seen as quite proactive in taking down content because we have these rules in copyright that say if the platform enables the copyright infringement then they can become liable.
“But if they take it down then they’re protected – so that’s why they will be quite proactive about having a system in place.”
As the price of concert tickets continues to rise and some artists retire from touring altogether, finding an alternative version of their favourite star is really the only option for many fans.
And for those whose careers rely on impersonation, not being able to share details of their shows with their fanbase on social media is fatal.
“On your page comes: ‘We have community standards against impersonation’ and you’re like, ‘Wow, that’s actually my job’!” Said O’Brien.
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“So, this is crazy, right? It’s just crazy that this can happen, and it’s not just happening to me, it’s happening to hundreds of tributes, impersonators, and some drag queens.
“Where else, if you love Dolly Parton, where are you going to go? Except to see a tribute and you want them to be as good as possible, and especially for artists that have passed – Whitney Houston, George Michael – these people are keeping the music alive.”
Facebook say they’re working to reinstate O’Brien’s page but for many others the conflict remains – championing tributes while abiding by copyright rules designed to protect the original artists.
Entertainment
Snoop Dogg becomes co-owner and investor of Swansea football club saying it’s ‘an underdog just like me’
Police are taking no further action over Kneecap’s performance at Glastonbury.
Officers said they had investigated “comments about a forthcoming court case made during Kneecap’s performance” at the festival on 28 June.
However, after Crown Prosecution Service advice, they decided there is not enough evidence “to provide a realistic prospect of conviction for any offence”.
The Avon & Somerset force started investigating the Irish group’s show last month, as well as comments by punk-rap duo Bob Vylan.
It said they were looking at a possible public order incident.
Police said on Friday that the investigation into Bob Vylan’s performance was ongoing.
The London duo were widely criticised – and caused a BBC crisis – after leading on-stage chants of “death to the IDF” (Israel Defence Forces).
Kneecap’s Liam Og O Hannaidh appeared at Westminster Magistrates’ Court in June. Pic: PA
Kneecap posted a photograph on Instagram, which the group said was an email from police announcing the case was being dropped.
They said their packed Glastonbury gig was a “celebration of love and solidarity” and reporting used “wildly misleading headlines”.
Fears over what Kneecap might do or say during the performance had prompted the BBC not to show it live.
The group said: “Every single person who saw our set knew no law was broken, not even close… yet the police saw fit to publicly announce they were opening an investigation.”
“There is no public apology, they don’t send this to media or post it on police accounts,” they added.
The police statement on Friday said they had informed Kneecap of their decision to drop the case.
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One of the group’s members appeared in court in June charged with a terror offence.
Liam Og O hAnnaidh is accused of displaying a flag in support of Hezbollah, a proscribed organisation in the UK, at a gig last year.
He was released on unconditional bail ahead of a second court appearance in August.
Entertainment
Tomorrowland: ‘Devastating’ blaze destroys main stage at major festival – two days before it was due to begin
A huge fire has destroyed the main stage of a major festival in Belgium – two days before it was due to begin.
Tomorrowland is a dance music event as big as Glastonbury – and David Guetta was due to perform.
Footage showed flames and thick plumes of black smoke engulfing the stage and spreading to nearby woodland on Wednesday.
The fire gutted the main stage
Fire crews attempt to bring the blaze under control
The annual festival in the town of Boom, north of Brussels, is one of the biggest in Europe and attracts about 400,000 people over two consecutive weekends.
It is famous for its immersive and elaborate designs and attracts big names within dance music – including Guetta, best known for tracks When Love Takes Over and Titanium.
Dutch DJs Martin Garrix and Charlotte de Witte were also due to perform, along with the likes of Swedish House Mafia, Eric Prydz and Alok.
Black smoke could be seen rising into the sky
The festival’s website described the creative elements which went into the elaborate main stage.
The theme, described as Orbyz, was “set in a magical universe made entirely out of ice” and “full of mythical creatures”.
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Organisers said no one was injured in the blaze but confirmed “our beloved main stage has been severely damaged”, adding they were “devastated”.
Spokesperson Debby Wilmsen added: “We received some truly terrible news today. A fire broke out on the Tomorrowland site … and our main stage was essentially destroyed there, which is truly awful.
“That’s a stage that took years to build, with so much love and passion. So I think a lot of people are devastated.”
Spokesperson Debby Wilmsen told reporters ‘a lot of people are devastated’
Despite the fire, Tomorrowland organisers said they were still expecting 38,000 festivalgoers at DreamVille, the event’s campsite.
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