Dua Lipa is facing legal action after allegedly sharing a paparazzi-snapped photo of herself to Instagram, Billboard has learned.
In an eight-page copyright infringement complaint filed by attorney Craig Sanders in U.S. District Court in California on Tuesday, the pop star is accused of sharing a photo owned by Integral Images to her personal Instagram account in February 2019 “without permission or authorization.” The company backs up its case against the singer by noting that Lipa uses her Instagram account as a marketing tool to earn additional revenue.
“The Account is monetized in that it contains content designed to accumulate followers who are directed to, via link and/or advertisement, consume and purchase Defendant’s content, Defendant profits from these activities,” the complaint reads.
Integral Images is seeking $150,000 in damages or, alternatively, “an award of actual damages and disgorgement of all of Defendant’s profits attributable to the infringements,” whichever is larger. It is additionally asking for an order enjoining Dua Lipa from further acts of infringement, as well as litigation costs and attorney’s fees.
A screen grab of Lipa’s alleged use of the photo, which shows the star standing in line at an airport while wearing an oversize hat, is included as an exhibit with the complaint. Integrated Images claims the photo was taken just a few days before Lipa posted it to her account with the caption, “I’ll be living under big fluffy hats until further notice.”
Representatives for Lipa and Integral Images did not immediately return Billboard’s request for comment.
Lipa is just the latest music star to be sued for posting paparazzi images of themselves to a social media account. In 2019, both Ariana Grande and Justin Bieber settled lawsuits brought by photographer Robert Barbera, with whom Grande reached a second settlement the following year over a separate incident. Also in 2019, Jennifer Lopez was sued by Splashy News and Picture Agency for posting a copyrighted photo of herself and then-boyfriend Alex Rodriguez to Instagram. The company later voluntarily dismissed that complaint with prejudice.
