Photographer sues Getty Images for $1 billion after she's billed for her own pho

[Mikehit]

They don't have ownership however, but that in itself is not actionable

My reading is that they were asserting copyright. And threatening action based on a legal right that they do not have. I would say that is either fraud or obtaining money with menaces.
They deserve to be sued.

So basically an administrative error on their part, since that would not have been appropriate for these particular images.

IMO, it goes beyond an 'administrative error' - it seems that this has happened repeatedly so if they have not learnt they should do so pretty quickly. They are doing it because they think they can.