British pop star Dua Lipa has filed a $15 mln lawsuit against Samsung Electronics, accusing the tech giant of using her image without permission to market television sets in the United States.
According to the lawsuit filed in a California federal court, Samsung allegedly used a copyrighted backstage photo of the singer taken at the 2024 Austin City Limits festival on TV packaging boxes, creating the impression that Lipa endorsed the products.
Lipa claims Samsung continued using the image even after her legal team sent cease-and-desist requests last year. The singer accuses the company of copyright infringement, trademark violations and unlawful commercial use of her likeness.
Samsung denied intentional wrongdoing, saying the image was provided by a third-party content partner that assured the company all permissions had been secured. The company added that it remains open to resolving the dispute.
The lawsuit also alleges that Samsung benefited commercially from the apparent celebrity endorsement, with social media users reportedly saying they considered buying the televisions because Dua Lipa’s image appeared on the boxes.
