Dua Lipa sued for uploading paparazzi photo of herself on Instagram

Dua Lipa is being sued by Intergral Images for posting a photo of herself, taken by Integral Images, in February 2019 on her Instagram page. Intergral Images has stated that the basis for the claim is that Dua Lipa has profited from the photo as her Instagram page is also a marketing platform for her music and the photo was shared without their consent. Integral Images applied to register copyright for the image, and the request was granted in February 2021 by the US Copyright Office.

Photo by Brett Sayles from Pexels

Copyright is a legal right, giving the owner exclusive control over their work and how it is used. Copyright infringement in the UK is largely governed by the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988. In relation to copying work, the key test is whether a substantial part of the work concerned has been copied as stated in section 16(3) of the Act and in determining substantiality the test is qualitative not quantitative. The courts will look at the quality of the parts taken, not necessarily the amount.

It is important to protect your work and prevent others from using your work without your permission. If you require legal assistance in relation to copyright or copyright infringement contact Christopher Buck, Associate Partner in our Business Services Department who will be happy to assist.