Can’t monkey with the law on copyright

MONKEYS MAY have to take over the world “Planet of the Apes” style before they’re recognized by federal copyright law.

Federal appeals judges in San Francisco ruled Monday that Naruto, a crested macaque whose wide-grin selfie (inset) went viral, can not own the rights to his work.

U.S. copyright law did not “expressly authorize animals to file copyright infringement suits,” 9th Circuit Judge Carlos Bea said in the ruling. Naruto — who lives with other macaques on Sulawesi island in Indonesia — snapped the shot in 2011 with a camera belonging to photographer David Slater.

PETA sued Slater on behalf of Naruto, saying that Naruto owned the copyright to the picture and was entitled to any money it earned.

Slater, who lives in Wales, said getting Naruto to take the picture was a lot of work — but that he earned barely enough money to cover his expenses for the trip.

A trial court judge in 2016 ruled against PETA. Monday’s ruling came on an appeal of that decision.