Model Bella Hadid recently posted a photo of herself on Instagram without asking for the photographer’s permission. And now, she’s facing a copyright infringement lawsuit. If all of this sounds as if you’re having a déjà vu – well, you almost are. The model was already sued over the same thing before.
The agency behind the photo seeks an injunction against Hadid’s further use of the image, but also damages for using the image in the first place. And if she loses, she will be able to pay at least $150,000 in damages.
The photo agency filing the lawsuit against Hadid is Chouet’Press SAS, aka BestImage. They filed a complaint with California federal court against the model, claiming that she shared a photo of herself “in sunglasses and green pants,” but never asked for permission nor licensed the image.
As Law360 reports, BestImage alleges that the photo was “highly creative, distinctive, and — as evidenced by Ms. Hadid’s use and misappropriation of it — valuable.”
“Because of Ms. Hadid’s popularity and celebrity status, and the photograph’s quality and visual appeal, BestImage (and the photographer it represents) stood to gain licensing revenue from licensing the photograph.”
BestImage further claims that the model acted “recklessly by posting the photograph.” naturally, they’re seeking statutory damages for “willful infringement” and they reach “up to $150,000 per infringed work.”
As I mentioned, Bella Hadid was already sued once over exactly the same thing. And so was her sister, Gigi. I don’t know who runs their social media, but I find it incredible that they don’t learn from their own mistakes… And mistakes from other celebrities who have also been sued for posting photos of themselves without permission.
[via PetaPixel; image credits: LOVE Magazine, CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons]
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