Stay up to date with notifications from The Independent

Notifications can be managed in browser preferences.

German court rules ex-lovers must delete explicit photos of partners after a break-up

A woman took her ex-partner to court to demand he withdraw intimate pictures and videos of her

Heather Saul
Thursday 22 May 2014 15:46 BST
Comments
Couples should delete intimate or revealing photos and videos of their lovers when their relationship ends if their ex-partner asks them to, a German court ruled on Tuesday.
Couples should delete intimate or revealing photos and videos of their lovers when their relationship ends if their ex-partner asks them to, a German court ruled on Tuesday. (Getty Images)

Your support helps us to tell the story

This election is still a dead heat, according to most polls. In a fight with such wafer-thin margins, we need reporters on the ground talking to the people Trump and Harris are courting. Your support allows us to keep sending journalists to the story.

The Independent is trusted by 27 million Americans from across the entire political spectrum every month. Unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock you out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. But quality journalism must still be paid for.

Help us keep bring these critical stories to light. Your support makes all the difference.

Couples should delete intimate or revealing photos and videos of their lovers when their relationship ends if their ex-partner asks them to, a German court ruled on Tuesday.

The Higher Regional Court of Koblenz heard a case involving a couple from the Lahn-Dill region in Hesse, central Germany.

The man, an unnamed photographer, had taken explicit photographs of his partner and made erotic videos with her throughout their relationship. The court heard the woman had consented to all of the material being taken and, in some cases, had taken the photographs herself.

When their relationship ended, the woman insisted that all of the images and videos she appeared in be deleted.

The court agreed that any privately recorded nude pictures and footage which she appeared in should be deleted or withdrawn on the grounds of personal rights, which are considered higher than the ownership rights of the photographer, the Local has reported.

However, any pictures where the woman was fully clothed did not have to be deleted, as these have “little, if any capacity” to compromise her, the judge said in a statement.

Join our commenting forum

Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies

Comments

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in