News and entertainment website BuzzFeed, Inc., known for its quizzes and listicles, was hit with a copyright infringement lawsuit last week in California district court.
Photographer Jennifer Rondinelli Reilly sued BuzzFeed and five unidentified (or “Doe”) defendants for allegedly displaying, reproducing, distributing, and creating derivative works of her copyrighted photograph of guitarist Carlos Santana, taken during his Universal Tone Tour appearance in Milwaukee.
According to Reilly’s complaint, BuzzFeed displayed and published the copyrighted photo after one of its users uploaded it to BuzzFeed’s server. Reilly sent a Digital Millennium Copyright Act takedown notice, and while BuzzFeed responded, it failed to remove the image and prevent other users from accessing it.
Reilly is seeking an injunction, damages, BuzzFeed’s profits from the infringement, and attorney’s fees.