The pop star and actress is being sued for allegedly posting paparazzi photos of herself without securing the proper copyright licenses.
The dispute centers around images taken before the 2025 Golden Globe Awards and shared on her Instagram and X accounts.
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Jennifer Lopez Hit With Dual Copyright Lawsuits
On Saturday, May 17, photographer Edwin Blanco and photo agency BackGrid USA filed two federal lawsuits against Jennifer Lopez.
They claim to co-own images of Lopez standing outside the Amazon MGM Studios x Vanity Fair Party at Los Angeles’ Bar Marmont on January 4, the night before the Golden Globe Awards.
According to attorney Peter Perkowski, representing Blanco and BackGrid, Lopez posted the pictures the following day, on January 5, to both Instagram and X without permission. The alleged copyright breach triggered a wave of reposts by fan pages and fashion brands.
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“Ms. Lopez’s unauthorized use of the Images is commercial in nature, intended for the purpose of self-promotion,” wrote Perkowski per Billboard. “For example, Ms. Lopez used the images to spotlight the designer of her clothing and jewelry, leveraging the publicity from the event to promote her fashion affiliations and brand partnerships.”
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Jennifer Lopez’s Team Allegedly Backed Out Of Verbal Deal
Perkowski revealed that BackGrid and Blanco reached out to Lopez’s team the week after the alleged infringement to address the situation.
Discussions reportedly went well, and the parties verbally agreed to a financial settlement. However, Lopez’s side never finalized the deal in writing or made any payment.
The lawsuits also emphasized that this isn’t the first time Lopez has faced similar claims.
In 2019, she was sued for posting a paparazzi photo featuring herself and then-boyfriend Alex Rodriguez.
That case, also handled by Perkowski, ended in a voluntary dismissal in 2020.
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“This prior litigation placed Ms. Lopez on notice regarding the legal requirements and potential consequences associated with the use of copyrighted images without proper authorization,” Perkowski wrote. “Despite this, Ms. Lopez has continued to engage in similar conduct, demonstrating a willful disregard for BackGrid’s copyrights through a pattern of behavior that undermines the rights of content creators.”
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Lopez Isn’t The First Celebrity To Be Sued For Posting Their Image
The plaintiffs accused Jennifer Lopez of willful copyright infringement, which could result in damages of up to $150,000 per image.
If the lawsuit succeeds, the actress would have to pay $300,000 for posting her own image.
As of Monday, Lopez’s representatives had not responded to the lawsuit.
Fans may find it odd that celebrities are sued over their photos, but the law is on the plaintiff’s side.
Stars like Miley Cyrus, Justin Bieber, and Dua Lipa have all faced similar lawsuits in recent years.
What Does The Law Say?
Under U.S. copyright law, the photographer, not the person in the photo, owns the rights to an image.
This means celebrities can be sued for posting paparazzi photos of themselves on social media without permission.
Even if the celebrities are the sole subject of the photo, they have no legal right to use it without a license. Hence, taking or posting such images without consent is considered copyright infringement.
Additionally, being in a public place does not exempt someone from being photographed, nor gives them control over the image.
If infringement is proven, the celebrity may owe either actual or statutory damages, up to $150,000 per photo.
Most cases, however, settle out of court for smaller amounts.
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Jennifer Lopez Suffers Facial Injury
The legal trouble is the latest setback for Lopez, who suffered a facial injury while rehearsing for the American Music Awards.
The singer shared updates on Instagram Stories, showing herself with an ice pack on a swollen, reddened eye and nose, writing, “So this happened.”
In a follow-up post, the now-single Lopez revealed a visible gash above the bridge of her nose, slightly to the side, noting that the injury occurred a week earlier and she’s now healing well. “A week later and a whole lotta ice—I’m good as new,” she wrote.
The 55-year-old also posted a photo with Beverly Hills facial plastic surgeon Dr. Jason Diamond, thanking him for his help.
“Thank you for stitching me up, Dr. Diamond,” she captioned the image.
Though some discoloration remained, Lopez looked nearly recovered. The incident came just ahead of her scheduled hosting gig at the AMAs on May 26, but she appears ready to go.
