TL;DR
- Dua Lipa is suing Samsung for copyright and trademark infringement.
- The lawsuit alleges Samsung used her photos without permission.
- The complaint demands payment of damages from Samsung.
It’s only been a few months since Samsung was sued for its data collection practices, and the company seems to be in hot water again. Pop star Dua Lipa has filed a $15 million lawsuit against Samsung for allegedly using her likeness to sell its TVs.
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The lawsuit (via Variety), which was filed in the District Court of California, alleges that Samsung used a picture of Dua Lipa “on the front of cardboard boxes containing Samsung manufactured televisions for retail sale.”
The lawsuit states that Lipa is a “hugely successful… singer, songwriter, performing artist, and model” who “holds highly valuable copyright, trademark and publicity rights in her name, image and likeness.” The complaint claims that Samsung has infringed Lipa’s copyrights, trademarks, and violated her right of publicity.
It further adds that Lipa reached out to Samsung and demanded that the company stop using her photo on its TV boxes. However, the company’s response was allegedly “dismissive and callous.”
The lawsuit goes on to allege that Samsung has profited from the false implication that she has sponsored the company’s TVs. The photograph in question is reportedly a backstage picture taken in Austin in 2024, and its copyright is owned solely by Lipa.
Moreover, the complaint adds that Samsung has made “a mockery of her hard work in establishing a successful brand and has deprived her of the ability to control and monetize her assets.”
The suit also quotes several social media posts with users stating that the picture of Dua Lipa on the TV box was a significant factor in their buying decision. It goes further to state that Lipa is very selective with her commercial partnerships and “would not have agreed to license her name, image or likeness in connection with the sale of the Infringing Products.”
It’s worth noting that Samsung has partnered with musical artists before. So, the company’s oversight of using Dua Lipa’s image on its retail boxes without ensuring proper due diligence is quite surprising.
As relief, the lawsuit demands several judgements including a permanent injunction against Samsung electronics from using Lipa’s likeness or infringing on her copyrights. It also demands damages of no less than $15 million.
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