Online ad firm Traffix is being sued by 50 Cent over a promotional game called Shoot the Rapper.
The musician, himself a shooting victim, alleges that the game illegally uses his image and encourages users to target him.
According to the BBC, he is suing the New York-based firm for $1m (£486,000).
The ad invites users to “shoot the rapper” and win a cash prize or ringtones, the lawsuit says.
If they hit him, the screen goes red and the user is redirected to Traffix’s site.
50 Cent’s lawyer Peter Raymond said the game used his likeness without permission, adding that "it looks like him, and there's no doubt the character is intended to be him".
Traffix is yet to comment.
Posted 23 July 2007 11:09am by Richard Maven with 2 comments
Tags: Weird Wild Web
Topics: Online Advertising
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Graham Charlton
Online Advertising
3:08PM on 24th July 2007
Please, the lowlife used his shooting as a promotional tool when he launched his Get Rich or Die Trying album. What's sauce for the goose my friend!!
2:48PM on 31st July 2007
Yes but that's a decision he made - I haven't seen the advert but someone else can't go using something very much like his image to advertise with "shoot the rapper" without his consent. I'd sue too!