Why Is Humans of Bombay, Owned By Karishma Mehta, Being Trolled?

'Humans of Bombay' (HOB) has found itself amidst a social media storm after taking legal action against 'People of India' (POI) for alleged copyright infringement of its content. HOB alleges that POI replicated their unique storytelling format and used content from their Instagram account and YouTube channel without permission.

However, when news of HOB's legal action against POI broke, it created a wave of memes and discussions on X (formerly Twitter) and other social media platforms. This wave of reactions began when Brandon Stanton, the founder of 'Humans of New York,' commented on the case.

In an X post, Stanton mentioned that he had chosen to remain silent about the "appropriation of his work" because he believed 'Humans of Bombay' shared important stories, even though they had monetised their platform beyond what he personally felt comfortable doing on HONY. He concluded by saying, "But suing people for something I've forgiven you for is not right."

In response to Stanton's post, 'Humans of Bombay' issued a statement that became the target of jokes and ridicule. The statement screenshot read, "It's therefore shocking that a cryptic assault on our efforts to protect our intellectual property is made in this manner, especially without understanding the background of the case." It also added, "Perhaps, before jumping the gun on this matter, you ought to acquaint yourself with the information about the case and also about what HOB is trying to achieve."

Several users, in the comments section, questioned HOB, with some asking, "Since when did storytelling become your intellectual property?"

HOB is an Indian photo blog website dedicated to sharing heartwarming stories about the residents of Mumbai. The widespread popularity of all the digital platforms under the Humans of Bombay umbrella is undeniable. These platforms feature a diverse range of stories that truly capture the essence of the city. Karishma's book was a fundraising initiative to support the website. In creating the book, she compiled all the posts, even including some that had not been previously published online.