Jennifer Lopez sued by photo agency for copyright infringement
Jennifer Lopez has been hit with a $150,000 lawsuit by the Splash News and Picture Agency for copyright infringement over a photo of herself and fiancé Alex Rodriguez that was allegedly posted to her Instagram account two years ago.
The suit, filed in US District Court for the Central District of California on Saturday, charges that the “Jenny from the Block” singer did not have permission to post the agency’s image, which showed her holding hands with A-Rod while out for breakfast in New York City in 2017.
The suit claims that Splash “never licensed the photograph to [Lopez].”
“Nevertheless, Lopez used it without authorization or permission from [Splash] to do so,” the lawsuit states.
“Specifically, Lopez or someone acting on her behalf copied the photograph and distributed it on Instagram, via the @jlo account, on a story posted November 7, 2017,” the suit reads.
Lopez’s official Instagram account, @jlo, has more than 102 million followers.
“The photograph is creative, distinctive and valuable,” the suit says. “Because of the subject’s celebrity status, and the photograph’s quality and visual appeal, [Splash] (and the photographer it represents) stood to gain revenue from licensing the photograph.”
The suit goes on to say that Lopez’s “unauthorized use harms the existing and future market for the original photograph.”
Splash notified Lopez of her alleged infringement through her reps in a Dec. 12, 2017 letter, according to the lawsuit.
“At the time Lopez copied and distributed the photograph, she knew or should have known she did not have authorization or permission to do so,” the suit says.
A rep for Lopez did not immediately return a request for comment by The Post.
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