Jennifer Lopez faces lawsuit over Hollywood party pics on social media

Jennifer Lopez is facing a lawsuit for sharing photos of herself on social media without obtaining permission from the photographer and a paparazzi agency, according to a report by the BBC.

The singer and actress posted images from her arrival at the Amazon MGM Studios and Vanity Fair party in Los Angeles, held the night before the Golden Globe Awards in January. The photos, which show Lopez wearing a white dress and faux fur coat outside the Chateau Marmont, were shared on her Instagram and X accounts with the caption “GG Weekend Glamour.” They were later reposted widely by fan and fashion pages.

Photographer Edwin Blanco and the paparazzi agency Backgrid, which he was working for at the time, have each filed separate lawsuits claiming copyright infringement. They argue that Lopez used the images for commercial purposes, including promoting her public appearances, boosting engagement, and highlighting fashion brands and partnerships.

“Ms Lopez’s unauthorized use of the images is commercial in nature,” the lawsuits state. “She used the images to spotlight the designer of her clothing and jewelry, leveraging publicity from the event to promote her fashion affiliations.”

Both Blanco and Backgrid are seeking up to $150,000 in damages per photo.

Under US copyright law, the person appearing in a photograph does not own the rights to it. Those rights typically belong to the photographer or their employer, who control how the image is used and can demand payment for unauthorized use.

Legal filings indicate that Backgrid and Blanco reached out to Lopez’s team and agreed on a payment deal, but claim she has yet to sign the agreement.

This isn't the first time Lopez has faced such legal trouble. She was previously sued in 2019 and 2020 over similar incidents. Other celebrities including Dua Lipa, Gigi Hadid, and Khloe Kardashian have also been sued for sharing paparazzi photos of themselves without permission.