Red Top newspaper using images without permission etc.

[RiftGibbon]

A friend of mine is a photographer and posted something on their social media a few days about a local issue. Photographs are copyrighted to the person.

A red top publication has used those photographs (and some of the person's narrative) for an article they've put online. Nobody contacted my friend regarding permission to use the images.

Friend does not want their name associated with the publication but would like to approach the publication in a polite way to tell them
A. They did not grant permission
B. Images are copyrighted so that's an infringement
C. They should be paid for the images
D. They want their images taken down as they have no desire to have any links to the publication

Can anyone advise how best to set out a letter, and to whom it should be addressed?

What social media outlet? Many have Ts&Cs granting them copyright.

Online version of their rag.

As per above, photographs were copyrighted to friend. Images were not accredited to the person who took them. This is a breach of copyright.

As per above- what social media outlet did you friend post the images to?

Sorry, misunderstood.
Friend posted to their Instagram. Images bear friend's copyright details.

I’m a journalist (not for a tabloid). Is the social media embedded in their page or have they screenshotted the pics and posted them on the story?

If they take the pics down they’re very unlikely to pay her for them so she should probably decide what she wants the outcome to be.

If she wants money then she should invoice the picture desk. If she’s a genuine professional photographer then she can invoice at NUJ rates and if not, then slightly less (although it depends on the quality of the pics and what they’ve been used for).

If she wants them taken down then she should email them and tell them she doesn’t give permission for their use.

Quite honestly she’ll probably get a better response without the rhetoric about ‘rags’ and not wanting to be associated etc. Just should be businesslike about it.

"Rags" was my wording.

They are a professional photographer and the social images have been screenshotted/downloaded - they are not embedded in the article.

I'll relay the advice, thankyou.