Miley Cyrus now joins artists such as Dua Lipa, Katy Perry and Ariana Grande, who are facing the consequences of posting paparazzi photos to social media. The “Malibu” singer has been hit with a copyright lawsuit.
Billboard reports photographer Robert Barbara is suing Miley for sharing a photo he claims he snapped of her in 2020. The image, which Barbara notes the Grammy nominee posted without his permission, shows her waving to fans while walking out of a building.
Barbara claims Miley “crippled if not destroyed” his ability to make a profit off the photo because of her “immense presence” on Instagram. The “Midnight Sky” singer boasts over 180 million followers on the platform.
It is unknown how much he is asking for in damages.
This isn’t the only celebrity Barbara has sued for this same exact matter. He has previously sued Ariana, Dua and Justin Bieber for posting photos he took of them on social media. While Ari and Justin settled, Dua is currently battling his lawsuit in court.
Some fans may be wondering why a celebrity cannot post a photo someone else took of them. Attorney Nancy Wolff explains Miley can be liable for damages if she indeed shared the image without Barbara’s consent.
“The misunderstanding with celebrities [is] just because they’re the subject of a photo doesn’t mean they have any ownership rights in it,” the lawyer said.
Cyrus nor Barbara have yet to speak about this ongoing matter with the outlet.
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