Dua Lipa has found herself at the center of a lawsuit for posting a paparazzi photo of herself on Instagram.
The singer posted the image in question on Feb. 7, 2019; it was taken about four days prior. The photo shows her waiting in line at the airport with ticket and passport in hand while wearing an oversized hat, according to the BBC. “I’ll be living under big fluffy hats until further notice,” she captioned the photo.
Integral Images filed the suit against Lipa, saying she profited from posting the image since her Instagram is essentially a marketing tool for her career. U.S. court documents say her IG account is “monetized in that it contains content designed to accumulate followers who are directed to, via link and/or advertisement, consume and purchase [her] content.” The docs also say Dua shared the photo with her followers “without permission or authorization” and “knowingly” posted it without approval.
Integral Images is seeking $150,000 in damages and has requested a jury trial. Additionally, the company is asking for legal costs to be covered and wants an order that would stop Dua from additional instances of infringement. Integral obtained copyright for the images on Feb. 20. 2021, more than two years after Lipa shared the image.
A number of celebrities have posted paparazzi images without permission and been sued, including Gigi Hadid, Liam Hemsworth, Khloé Kardashian, Ariana Grande, Justin Bieber, and Jennifer Lopez.
