'Embarrassing' Facebook Photos Inspire Aaron Olson To Sue Uncle (VIDEO)

Nearly everyone on Facebook has been tagged with an embarrasing photo, but most people don't sue the person who tagged them.

Minneapolis resident Eric Olson did. And the person he sued was his uncle, Randall LaBrie.

After LaBrie posted childhood photos of Olson in front of a Christmas tree and added snarky comments, Olson got angry and sued his uncle for harassment, according to Newser.com.

Sadly for Olson, he not only lost the case but his appeal to a higher court was also denied.

The state Court of Appeals decreed that "comments that are mean and disrespectful, coupled with innocuous family photos, do not affect a person's safety, security, or privacy..." and therefore do not count as harassment, according to the Above The Law blog.

The appeals court rejected Olson's claims of harrassment saying that "Comments that are mean and disrespectful, coupled with innocuous family photos, do not affect a person's safety, security, or privacy -- and certainly not substantially so" and therefore did not fit the legal definition of the term.

Although the appeals court dismissed Olson's case, Technology And Marketing Law Blog writer Eric Goldman gave him credit for hubris for attempting to argue that the trial court erred in not crediting the testimony of his mother, who testified that Labrie's conduct was offensive.

Added Goldman: "The only thing that would have kicked this opinion up a notch would have been a cite to awkwardfamilyphotos.com.

Comments

[bob40wil]

05:46 PM on 02/20/2012

Silly, silly person.

[Justyn Feeney]

04:31 PM on 02/20/2012

Take embarrassing pictures of the judge and post all over facebook. See if he/she still thinks its not a privacy matter..

[emmeaki]

04:08 PM on 02/20/2012

My mom posted my geeky Jr. high pics, complete with acne and big glasses, on Facebook and I lived! I'm curious as to how bad the pictures of Mr. Olson really were and what the uncle said in his comments. Well, since he can't sue, there's always the butt-whipping method! (Joke! I am not advocating violence!)

[nanaofmysky]

03:53 PM on 02/20/2012

Honestly what is the big deal? Every kid has pictures that are a little embaressing,You smile and laugh at yourself. The Uncle should not have posted them but maybe he just did not think he was doing any harm.Olsen needs to learn to laugh at himself.

[wr1960]

12:55 PM on 02/20/2012

it is disrepcetful

[WILLIEMOJORISIN]

12:43 PM on 02/20/2012

What a cry baby , grow a pair son.

[SoulOfDespair]

12:24 PM on 02/20/2012

Can't you just untag yourself from the photo?

[acarioti]

09:23 AM on 02/20/2012

If you can't stand the heat, get off Facebook! If you're not a member, no one can tag you.

[qtpeye46]

08:21 PM on 02/20/2012

Facebook has a setting that will not allow tagging UNLESS you approve.. ROFLMAO I know cause I got my set.. I have MEAN cousins that have lots and LOTS of pictures!

[PapaKapp]

07:20 PM on 02/19/2012

One more example of the waste of time and energy that is Facebook. I'm glad some unsuspecting geek got billions dropped on him for finding a way to make the average citizen feel that his every motion is newsworthy. But really folks. Get a job and a couple of hobbies. The people that care what you're doing will be there to see it. Now if you don't mind I'm going to make a sandwich and I need to tweet about it.

[portugee565]

07:05 PM on 02/19/2012

This one will go to Judge Judy. Wait and see.

[DevonTexas]

09:21 AM on 02/20/2012

too late unfortunately. She only takes cases that have not been heard. However, if he had taken his case there first, he probably would have fared better. She's a hoot.

[Reading girl2485]

03:51 PM on 02/19/2012

Posting a pic of someone on their deatbed all emaciated is NOT the same thing as posting a pic of someone in front of a Christmas tree as a kid.

I mean, what's the yardstick here? If ANYONE takes offense at something then that makes it offensive?

Kids cannot take anything anymore, and are being raised in an atmosphere where, if they they are not coddled and catered to, they scream bloody murder.

This does such a disservice to poor kids who are the REAL subjects of school and facebook bullying.

Grow the hell up.

[DevonTexas]

09:23 AM on 02/20/2012

I don;t think you can generalize over an entire population with this one example. But I agree... "This does such a disservice to poor kids who are the REAL subjects of school and facebook bullying."

[bohica6525]

03:00 PM on 02/19/2012

Is everybody as tired of this stupid T Mobile ad as I am. I now close it down every time it come on.

I would never uses that company just because of the way they advertise.

If you can not get your point across in 15 seconds or less then your product is not worth it.

I really wish they had a way to track people who shut the ad down before it is finished.

[WILLIEMOJORISIN]

12:46 PM on 02/20/2012

I really wish they had a way to track people who shut the ad down before it is finished.

I agree b/c I cklick off the ads on 99% of the stories I read.

[grifrn]

08:58 AM on 02/19/2012

I believe Facbook will morph into the telescreen from Orwell's novel 1984.

[irishkids1234]

01:12 PM on 02/19/2012

Newspeak...all of this is Newspeak.

[shempbat]

07:04 AM on 02/19/2012

Should have NEVER made it into a courtroom to begin with. I hope the little booger had to pay through the nose in court costs and lawyers fees.

[crabbyguy75]

04:22 AM on 02/19/2012

This story is just another reminder for people to stop photographing their private nasty parts.

[Billdabuilder]

03:21 PM on 02/19/2012

What nasty parts? I didn't see any nasty parts:)