Press Update
Another Victory for Josh Popkin
On November 5, 2026, PAPER Magazine’s COO confirmed in writing that an image of Josh Popkin had been removed, four hours and 20 minutes after his copyright notice. The 2020 article it ran with no longer loads either.
On May 15, 2020, PAPER Magazine published an article about Josh Popkin using an image taken from a TikTok video he created and owns. Josh says he never gave PAPER permission to use it.
On November 5, 2026, at 6:16 p.m. ET, Josh sent PAPER a formal copyright notice. At 10:37 p.m. ET the same night, Erin Domash, the COO of PAPER, confirmed that the image had been removed. The article itself no longer loads on PAPER’s website.
In the email, Erin Domash stated:
“The image appearing in https://www.papermag.com/subway-cereal-prank-apology has been removed from our site.”
Did PAPER Magazine Remove the Image of Josh Popkin?
Yes.
On November 5, 2026, PAPER’s COO, Erin Domash, confirmed directly to Josh Popkin over email that the image had been removed from PAPER’s site. It took four hours and 20 minutes.
Is the PAPER Magazine Article Still Online?
No.
As of this writing, the article’s address returns a “404 Not Found” page, and so does the older address for the same article. It had been online for more than six years.
Josh’s notice asked only for the image to be removed, and PAPER’s email mentions only the image. PAPER has not said why the article is gone. The sequence is what is known: the article was online when Josh took a screenshot of it at 6:15 p.m., and it is not online now.
How Did Josh Popkin Get the Image Removed?
With one email, sent in his own name.
The notice cited the Digital Millennium Copyright Act, 17 U.S.C. § 512(c)(3), identified the article, and stated under penalty of perjury that Josh owned the copyright.
He also closed off the usual compromises. The notice said he would not accept a credit, a new caption, a link, a crop or any other change. He wanted the image gone and he wanted that confirmed in writing. He got both.
Did PAPER Magazine Deny Wrongdoing?
No. It did not admit any either.
The COO’s email did not argue fair use, deny liability or admit fault. It confirmed the removal and asked whether any further information was needed. Business Insider, by contrast, argued fair use before it removed its image in October.
Why Is This Another Win for Josh Popkin?
Because PAPER is the fourth publisher to take down material about him since September 2026.
BuzzFeed removed an image in September. Business Insider removed one on October 1. dot.LA confirmed on October 7 that its December 2022 article had been taken down. Now PAPER.
It also moved quickly. Business Insider took 10 hours and 28 minutes to confirm its removal. PAPER took a little over four.
Josh has said that large media companies have too often used the names, photographs and videos of everyday people to generate traffic. After the Business Insider removal he summed up what he wants others to take from these cases in three words:
“There is hope.”
Can Josh Popkin Help if a Publisher Used Your Image Without Permission?
Oftentimes, yes.
If a publication is using your photograph or video without permission, or has published something about you that you believe is inaccurate, reach out to Josh before you try to handle it yourself. He has been through this with BuzzFeed, Business Insider, dot.LA and now PAPER, and he knows what these publishers respond to.
Contact Victoria at Position Strategy Group to discuss your situation with Josh.
