The operator of The Camp, a popular app for sending consolation letters to military personnel, has admitted to violating certain rights and has taken corrective measures, including removing spaces related to BTS.
In an announcement posted on the official bulletin board on the 16th, The Camp stated, “Due to issues with the management of our camps, it has come to our attention that we inadvertently infringed upon the rights of a particular company. We have taken immediate corrective action.”
Furthermore, The Camp indicated, “In response to a request from Big Hit Music, we will be suspending the operation of all camps associated with Big Hit artists. Consequently, camps created under the names of Big Hit artists by users will be suspended on March 9.” The Camp stressed that they will assume legal responsibility if they utilize the names of Big Hit Music artists without proper authorization in the future.
Previously, on January 9 KST, HYBE issued an official statement regarding the violation of publicity rights. The statement revealed, “Last month, we provided evidence to The Camp’s operator concerning the unauthorized use of BTS’s name and likeness without permission from BTS and our agency.” HYBE also declared their intention to intensify monitoring at the agency level and take strict actions against any infringements on publicity rights used for commercial purposes, as these rights involve significant investments of capital and effort by both the company and artists.
Notably, The Camp operator not only created individual community spaces for each BTS member but also sold dolls bearing the members’ real names through their commerce channel. In response to these unauthorized uses of BTS’s intellectual property, including their likenesses and names, HYBE directly issued a content certification to address the issue, and the operator promptly took corrective measures.