Law Commons^™

The Mugshot Industry: Freedom Of Speech, Rights Of Publicity, And The Controversy Sparked By An Unusual New Type Of Business, Allen K. Rostron

Faculty Works

Many companies profit from the dissemination of mugshot photos, whether online or in print. This new type of business arouses strong feelings , with critics charging that it amounts to a form of blackmail, while the mugshot companies contend that they provide a beneficial public service protected by freedom of speech. In this article, I begin the process of exploring the difficult legal questions surrounding mugshot businesses. In my view, people targeted by businesses like BlabberMouth have a viable theory under which to seek legal relief, but a line must be carefully drawn between businesses that merely profit by reproducing …