Opinion ID: 1881719
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: common law right of publicity

Text: The common-law right of publicity evolved from the appropriation prong of the right of privacy. [4] But  it is a distinct cause of action intended to vindicate different interests. [5] As originally postulated, the right of privacy protects one's right to be let alone. [6] Whereas the right of publicity protects the right to control the commercial value of one's identity. [7] The appropriation prong of the invasion of privacy originally sought to compensate for the emotional distress accompanied by the unauthorized use of one's likeness and identity. [8] But as the tort has evolved, it is clearly the commercial interests in one's identity that the appropriation prong of tort serves to protect the most. [9] Further, as is stated in KRS 391.170, the interest protected is considered a property right. [10] Thus, as the torts have evolved, the main differences between the appropriation prong of the right of privacy and the right of publicity concern questions of transferability and survivability. [11] Because the interests protected are nearly identical, our discussion belowwhich concerns the reach of the protection of one's commercial interests provided by both the common-law rights of publicity and privacyrefers only to the right of publicity.