In a recent turn of events, Brandon Stanton, the mastermind behind the globally acclaimed "Humans of New York," has voiced his disappointment and criticism over Humans of Bombay (HOB), an Indian storytelling platform. HOB recently filed a lawsuit against another storytelling platform, 'People of India,' alleging copyright infringement. Stanton's public expression of disapproval has ignited a debate on the ethics of such actions in the world of storytelling.
Brandon expresses disappointment
Brandon Stanton, aged 39, who gained fame for his profound street photography and personal stories shared on Humans of New York, took to X (formerly Twitter) to express his dismay over Humans of Bombay's legal actions. Stanton, who had previously chosen to remain silent on perceived similarities between his project and HOB, rebuked the company for taking legal action against 'People of India' while accusing them of emulating his own initiative.
"I've stayed quiet on the appropriation of my work because I think @HumansOfBombay shares important stories, even if they've monetized far past anything I'd feel comfortable doing on HONY. But you can't be suing people for what I've forgiven you for," tweeted Stanton.
Humans of Bombay, founded by Karishma Mehta in 2014 as a Facebook Page, has grown exponentially over the years, amassing a substantial following for its heartwarming storytelling, akin to Humans of New York.
The recent lawsuit filed by Humans of Bombay in the Delhi High Court against 'People of India,' another online storytelling platform, drew sharp criticism from Stanton. He argues that HOB should not be taking legal action against others for something he had previously chosen to overlook - the resemblance to Humans of New York.
'Humans Of Bombay' replies
In response to Stanton's critique, Humans of Bombay took to X (formerly Twitter) to post an open letter addressing the issue. In their lawsuit filed in the Delhi High Court, Humans of Bombay sought to prevent 'People of India' from appropriating what they claimed to be their "unique format of storytelling."
Justice Prathiba Singh of the Delhi High Court, on September 18, issued summons to 'People of India' and has scheduled a hearing for October 11 to address the case.
