Jennifer Lopez Faces Copyright Lawsuit Over Paparazzi Photos

Jennifer Lopez is facing copyright infringement claims for posting paparazzi pictures of herself without licensing them. The lawsuits were filed by photographer Edwin Blanco and photo agency BackGrid USA. They allege Lopez posted the photos to her Instagram and X accounts without permission. The photos were taken outside a Golden Globes pre-party in January. The lawsuit states that Lopez's unauthorized use of the images was commercial in nature. It was intended for self-promotion. According to the lawsuits, Lopez's team was contacted about the alleged copyright infringement. The two sides had discussions and agreed to a monetary settlement. However, Lopez never signed a written agreement and has not paid the promised money. Lopez was previously sued in 2019 for posting an unauthorized paparazzi image of herself. That case was ultimately dismissed voluntarily in 2020. BackGrid and Blanco are accusing Lopez of willful infringement under the federal Copyright Act. They could be entitled to damages of up to $150,000 per photo. Celebrities including Miley Cyrus, Dua Lipa and Justin Bieber have faced similar lawsuits. U.S. copyright law is on the side of photographers and image licensers.