Pop sensation Dua Lipa is taking legal action against Samsung, alleging that the tech giant utilized a copyrighted photograph of her to market its televisions without obtaining her consent.
The lawsuit, which was submitted to a federal court in California last Friday, accuses Samsung of infringing on copyright and trademark laws, as well as violating Lipa’s “right of publicity.” The controversy stems from an image of her likeness, displayed on packaging for Samsung TVs, that was allegedly used without authorization.
Per the legal documents, the disputed image belongs to Lipa and captures her backstage at the Austin City Limits Festival in 2024. The singer is pursuing damages that could amount to $15 million.
Lipa’s complaint asserts that Samsung’s actions were intended to unjustly leverage her fame to boost their product sales. The lawsuit points out that using her image implies a false endorsement, which could mislead consumers and weaken her brand’s integrity.
In support of these claims, the filing references a social media post where a fan remarked they would “get that TV just because Dua is on it,” highlighting the potential impact of Samsung’s actions on consumer perception.
Samsung in a statement acknowledged it used an image of Lipa in 2025 but said it did so to “reflect the content of our third-party partners that is available on Samsung TVs and was originally provided by a content partner for our free streaming service Samsung TV Plus.”
“The image was used only after receiving explicit assurance from the content partner that permission had been secured, including for the retail boxes,” Samsung said. “Given this assurance, we deny any allegations of intentional misuse.”
Representatives for Lipa did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Lipa first became aware that Samsung was using her copyrighted image in June 2025 and demanded that the company stop, a request the South Korean electronics manufacturer has “repeatedly refused” to comply with, her lawyers allege.
“Samsung’s response has been dismissive and callous, and the Infringing products remain on the market to this day. …” according to the lawsuit.
Samsung in its statement said it “has great respect for Ms. Lipa and the intellectual property of all artists” and has “actively sought and remain open to a constructive resolution with Ms. Lipa’s team.”