2011
Naruto takes the selfies in Indonesia.
It sounds like a joke: a photographer, a monkey, and PETA walk into a bar... or rather, a federal court. But the case of Naruto v. Slater asked a serious legal question that had never been fully tested before: Can a non-human animal own a copyright?
British photographer David Slater was in Sulawesi, Indonesia, trying to get the perfect shot of the critically endangered crested black macaques. He set up his camera on a tripod, and after some time, a curious male macaque (later identified as Naruto) started playing with it. Naruto grinned, snapped a button, and *click*—the famous "Money Selfie" was born.
Slater published the photos, expecting to earn money to recover his trip costs. But then, the image appeared on Wikimedia Commons, labelled as "Public Domain."
Their argument? Slater didn't take the photo. The monkey did. Since a monkey isn't a human, no one owns the copyright. Slater lost thousands in revenue.
Just when Slater thought it couldn't get worse, PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) sued him in 2015. They claimed Naruto was the author and deserved the copyright profits.
A person who represents someone unable to represent themselves (like a child or incapacitated person) in court. PETA argued they were Naruto's "Next Friend."
Naruto takes the selfies in Indonesia.
US Copyright Office updates rules: "Works produced by nature, animals, or plants" cannot be copyrighted.
PETA sues Slater on behalf of Naruto.
District Lawyer rules against PETA. "Simian" is not a person.
9th Circuit Court confirms: Animals cannot sue for copyright. The case is dismissed.
According to the courts and the US Copyright Office, the answer is simple but harsh for Slater:
Visual breakdown of Ownership Rights
Because the "author" was not human, no copyright exists. The image belongs to everyone (Public Domain). You can print it on a t-shirt, and neither Slater nor Naruto can sue you.
While Slater suffered financially, the case set a massive precedent. It clarified that copyright systems are strictly human-centric. As AI begins to "create" art, Naruto v. Slater is being cited again—proving that this monkey business was actually serious legal business.
Note: Slater eventually agreed to donate 25% of any future revenue from the image to macaque charities, but the legal ruling stands: monkeys can't own selfies.