According to NME, British singer songwriter and pop star Dua Lipa has been sued once again for allegedly posting a paparazzi photo of herself on her Instagram page. The lawsuit was brought by a paparazzo who has previously filed suits against Ariana Grande and Justin Bieber.
Robert Barbera, a New-York based photographer, filed the suit against Lipa in U.S. District Court in California on June 20. The lawsuit claims Lipa allegedly committed copyright infringement by allegedly posting a photo taken by Barbera on her Instagram. The photo in question is no longer available for viewing on Lipa’s Instagram page but has been said to show the singer in a black sweater that has “HEROES” screen printed.
The complaint shows Barbera’s intent to seek damages and penalties against Lipa for the alleged profit she could have earned from using the image. The suit also alleges that: “Without permission or authorization from Plaintiff, Defendant volitionally selected, copied, stored and displayed each of Plaintiff’s copyright protected Photographs.”
Back in July 2021, Lipa was sued for a similar incident in which she allegedly posted a paparazzi photo of herself leaving an airport after a flight. The company representing the paparazzo sought $150,000 in damages, arguing that Lipa’s social media accounts are monetized and that her alleged use of the photo lead to alleged profit. In October, the case was dismissed with prejudice, meaning that the plaintiff is prohibited from re-filing the lawsuit.
Lipa has also been facing two copyright lawsuits over her hit single “Levitating” in which a Florida reggae band claims that the song allegedly copied their 1979 and 1980 tracks “Wiggle And Giggle All That” and “Don Diablo.”
Photo Credit: Kalyn Oyer
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