Is it legal for a hotel to modify Yellow Pages directories available to their guests?
Question by joyfulc1957: Is it legal for a hotel to modify Yellow Pages directories available to their guests?
Is it legal for the management of a hotel to remove an entire section of advertising from each and every Yellow Pages directory placed in their guest rooms simply because the management of the hotel does not like the (totally legal) service being advertiseed?
In this case, it’s the Escort Services ads that they’ve removed, but it might just as well be tattoo parlours, abortion services, divorce lawyers, gun dealers, mosques — can the management of a hotel that accepts and makes available Yellow Pages directories modify them before making them available to their guests? And if so, do they have an obligation to inform their guests of this prior to or at the time of booking?
Best answer:
Answer by deadcatbounce3
Okay, it’s copyright infringement and it’s a civil matter. You should inform the yellow pages company and the escort services who advertise in them. They can sue the hotel in civil court for copyright infringement.
It is not legal. The hotel is, in effect, producing a modified version of a copyrighted work without the consent of the author(s). The reputation of the author(s) is being undermined since the advertisers purchased space in the book under the assumption that whoever purchased the book would have access to their ads.
What do you think? Answer below!
Yes it is legal. The hotel management could just not put the directory in the room, if they so choose.
yes it is legal. they own the book, its not federal property. phone service is not mandatory.
I make it a point to never shop or do business with stores or companies that push their religion or morals onto it’s customers. The “sign of a fish” is an instant elimination factor for me.
I suggest that you spread the word about them, including listing their name HERE. I, for one, will not use their services.
As far as whether it’s legal or not…..I would guess that there is nothing actually illegal about it, but it’s certainly ethically wrong, and that’s what we should all be more concerned with.