British pop sensation Dua Lipa has taken legal action against Samsung Electronics, suing the tech giant for a minimum of $15 million US for allegedly using her likeness without permission to promote its television sets. The lawsuit claims that Samsung featured a copyrighted image of the singer on the packaging of TV boxes sold in stores, implying her endorsement of the product.
The image in question, titled “Dua Lipa – Backstage at Austin City Limits, 2024,” is owned by Lipa, according to the lawsuit filed in a California federal court last Friday. Samsung Electronics declined to comment on the ongoing legal matter, while Dua Lipa’s legal representatives have not yet responded to requests for comments.
Apart from copyright and trademark violations, Lipa has also accused Samsung of violating her publicity rights. Her legal team included social media screenshots and comments in the filing, asserting that her image on the TV boxes influenced customers to make purchases. One fan comment highlighted in the filing mentioned buying the TV specifically because Dua Lipa was featured on it.
The singer first became aware of Samsung’s alleged unauthorized use of her image in June of the previous year and requested that the company cease the practice. However, Samsung reportedly disregarded her requests, leading to the legal action. Lipa’s lawyers argue that Samsung’s unauthorized use of her image has harmed her brand identity and commercial reputation by falsely suggesting her endorsement of the products.
