Get Memed, Kid (old post)
Ali Mosslmani, an Aussie teen is attempting to sue three news outlets for defaming him. At first glance this seems like a serious allegation; you might even feel bad for Ali until you hear how he was allegedly defamed. As the story goes, Ali was at the birthday party of a friend when a rather fateful picture was taken
This picture, showing Ali on the left, soon when viral. It seemed as if social media users could not get enough of Ali's hilarious mullet. Ali then became the subject of a series of internet memes that had photo-shopped the picture into creative jokes, all along the theme of making fun of Ali's haircut.
These memes did not rest well with Ali however, especially after The Daily Telegraph, Daily Mail Australia, and KIIS radio poked fun of his haircut as well. Ali had had enough, and sued each of the publications, claiming that they portrayed him as a hideously ugly and ridiculous person.
Unfortunately for Ali, the trials did not pan out in his favor, and the judge ruled that he pay the legal fees of the defendants. You can read about the legal records of the case here. I doubt that the articles sited in the case are still posted, however you can find them at the bottom of the legal records linked above.
I feel that Ali definitely did not deserve any reparations from the publications. Even after his claims were debunked in the trial, the jokes made towards him were only harmless and frankly innocent jokes, so I don't think he should have even felt insulted. Ali's friend, the host of the party, told the BBC that Ali didn't actually care what strangers thought of his hair. He also told them that Ali had sported that haircut for years, and he didn't think that Ali would ever change it.
If a meme was ever made taking shots at me was ever circulated, I think the content of the joke would definitely be the deciding factor in whether or not I found it hurtful. If the meme was based off of something incredibly revealing and embarrassing about me I think that I would hate it, especially if my whole school knew about it.
I too have had my hair insulted before, but similarly to Ali I like my hair, so I was unhurt by the insult. I even ran with the insult for a bit and played it off as a joke, because that was all it was to me.
I think that the important thing to remember is that jokes loose their humor, and all memes die. Most die off within a week, and two weeks is considered a long time for a meme to still be funny and relevant. I sinscerely hope that the future of internet memes is one where they are taken less seriously.
This picture, showing Ali on the left, soon when viral. It seemed as if social media users could not get enough of Ali's hilarious mullet. Ali then became the subject of a series of internet memes that had photo-shopped the picture into creative jokes, all along the theme of making fun of Ali's haircut.
These memes did not rest well with Ali however, especially after The Daily Telegraph, Daily Mail Australia, and KIIS radio poked fun of his haircut as well. Ali had had enough, and sued each of the publications, claiming that they portrayed him as a hideously ugly and ridiculous person.
Unfortunately for Ali, the trials did not pan out in his favor, and the judge ruled that he pay the legal fees of the defendants. You can read about the legal records of the case here. I doubt that the articles sited in the case are still posted, however you can find them at the bottom of the legal records linked above.
I feel that Ali definitely did not deserve any reparations from the publications. Even after his claims were debunked in the trial, the jokes made towards him were only harmless and frankly innocent jokes, so I don't think he should have even felt insulted. Ali's friend, the host of the party, told the BBC that Ali didn't actually care what strangers thought of his hair. He also told them that Ali had sported that haircut for years, and he didn't think that Ali would ever change it.
If a meme was ever made taking shots at me was ever circulated, I think the content of the joke would definitely be the deciding factor in whether or not I found it hurtful. If the meme was based off of something incredibly revealing and embarrassing about me I think that I would hate it, especially if my whole school knew about it.
I too have had my hair insulted before, but similarly to Ali I like my hair, so I was unhurt by the insult. I even ran with the insult for a bit and played it off as a joke, because that was all it was to me.
I think that the important thing to remember is that jokes loose their humor, and all memes die. Most die off within a week, and two weeks is considered a long time for a meme to still be funny and relevant. I sinscerely hope that the future of internet memes is one where they are taken less seriously.
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