Vanessa Hudgens, Ashley Greene threaten legal action over nude photos

By Eriq Gardner

Two trends that will probably never ever go away — celebrities showing some skin and lawyers threatening action if naked photos are published.

Last week, there was "Milk" screenwriter Dustin Lance Black's lawsuit against a photo agency that had allegedly attained nude photographs illicitly and distributed them. This week, lawyers for "Twilight" actress Ashley Greene and "High School Musical" starlet Vanessa Hudgens have put out word that websites posting leaked nude photos of the two actresses could be taken to court.

The published photos could be in violation of privacy rights, intellectual property, and possibly some child pornography laws. In the past, some publishers have gotten away with posting nude photos on free speech grounds if the subject in question was extraordinarily newsworthy. Probably two young, up-and-coming actresses who haven't been involved in any major scandals won't qualify. 

But the photos are out there — and it's going to be tough to make them go away. The consideration on whether to sue may not be a court victory per se, but a cost/benefit analysis of the hassle involved.