Litigation Initiated by Dua Lipa Against Samsung Electronics Regarding Unauthorized Image Utilization
Dua Lipa 就未經授權使用影像一事對三星電子提起訴訟
Introduction
The British musical artist Dua Lipa has commenced legal proceedings against Samsung Electronics in a California federal court, alleging the unauthorized commercial use of her likeness on television packaging.
英國音樂藝人 Dua Lipa 已在加州聯邦法院對三星電子提起法律訴訟，指控其在電視包裝上未經授權將其肖像用於商業用途。
Main Body
The litigation centers on the deployment of a copyrighted photograph, titled 'Dua Lipa – Backstage at Austin City Limits, 2024,' which the plaintiff asserts is her exclusive property. According to the filings in the US District Court for the Central District of California, Samsung integrated this image into a mass marketing campaign for television sets beginning in early 2025. The plaintiff contends that this utilization occurred without her knowledge, consent, or financial consideration, thereby constituting copyright infringement, trademark infringement, and a violation of the right of publicity.
本訴訟的核心在於一張名為「Dua Lipa – Backstage at Austin City Limits, 2024」的版權照片，原告主張該照片為其專屬財產。根據美國加州中區聯邦地區法院的提交文件，三星自 2025 年初起將此影像整合至電視機的大規模營銷活動中。原告認為，此項使用是在其不知情、未經同意且未支付報酬的情況下進行，因此構成了著作權侵害、商標侵害及侵害肖像權。
Stakeholder positioning indicates a significant divergence in perception regarding the impact of the imagery. The plaintiff's legal representatives argue that the unauthorized use created a false impression of endorsement, which subsequently influenced consumer behavior. To substantiate this claim, the complaint incorporates social media testimonials from individuals who indicated that the presence of the artist's image was a primary catalyst for their purchase decisions. Furthermore, the plaintiff asserts that such conduct causes the dilution of her carefully curated brand identity, citing her selective high-profile partnerships with entities such as Apple, Porsche, and Versace as evidence of the commercial value of her likeness.
利害關係人的立場顯示，雙方對於影像影響的認知存在顯著分歧。原告律師認為，未經授權的使用營造了一種代言的假象，隨後影響了消費者的行為。為了證明這一點，訴狀中納入了社交媒體上的證詞，部分個體表示該藝人影像的出現是其購買決策的主要催化劑。此外，原告聲稱此類行為導致其精心打造的品牌形象被稀釋，並以其僅選擇與 Apple、Porsche 及 Versace 等知名實體進行合作，作為其肖像商業價值的證明。
Procedural history reveals that the plaintiff became aware of the infringement in June 2025 and subsequently issued cease-and-desist demands. The legal team characterizes Samsung's response to these requests as 'dismissive and callous,' noting that the products remain available in the retail market. While the defendant has declined to comment on the pending litigation, legal analysts suggest a potential defense strategy may involve arguing that the image was merely a representation of a home screen rather than a formal endorsement.
程序紀錄顯示，原告於 2025 年 6 月發現侵權行為，隨後發出停止侵害要求。法律團隊將三星對這些要求的反應描述為「輕視且冷漠」，並指出產品目前仍可在零售市場購買。雖然被告拒絕就尚未結案的訴訟發表評論，但法律分析師建議，潛在的辯護策略可能會主張該影像僅是主螢幕的呈現，而非正式代言。
Conclusion
The plaintiff is currently seeking a permanent injunction and damages totaling no less than $15 million, alongside the disgorgement of profits derived from the alleged infringement.
原告目前正尋求永久禁制令及總計不低於 1,500 萬美元的損害賠償，以及要求追繳因涉嫌侵權而獲利的款項。
Vocabulary Learning
The Architecture of Nominalization and 'Legalistic Density'
To transition from B2 to C2, a student must move beyond describing actions and begin constructing states. The provided text is a masterclass in Nominalization—the process of turning verbs (actions) into nouns (concepts). This is the hallmark of high-level academic and juridical English, shifting the focus from who did what to the nature of the occurrence.
⚡ The Linguistic Pivot: From Action to Entity
Observe how the text eschews simple narrative verbs in favor of heavy noun phrases. This creates a 'distanced' objectivity essential for C2 proficiency.
- B2 Approach (Narrative): "Samsung used her image without asking, and this infringed her copyright."
- C2 Approach (Nominalized): "...the unauthorized commercial use of her likeness... thereby constituting copyright infringement."
Analysis: The action 'to use' becomes the entity 'use'. The action 'to infringe' becomes the legal state 'infringement'. This allows the writer to attach modifiers (like "unauthorized commercial") directly to the concept, increasing precision and density.
🛠 Dissecting the "C2 Power-Clusters"
Certain phrases in the text exemplify the lexical collocation required for mastery. Note the synergy between the adjective and the nominalized noun:
- "Significant divergence in perception" Instead of saying "they disagree", the writer creates a spatial metaphor (divergence) regarding a mental state (perception).
- "Disgorgement of profits" A highly specialized legal term. At C2, you are expected to utilize precise terminology that replaces generic verbs like "giving back the money."
- "Primary catalyst for... decisions" Replacing "the main reason why they bought it" with a chemical metaphor (catalyst) elevates the register to a scholarly level.
🎓 Synthesis for the Learner
To replicate this, stop asking "What happened?" and start asking "What is the name of this phenomenon?"
- Instead of: "The company responded callously, which made the artist angry."
- Try: "The callousness of the response exacerbated the plaintiff's grievances."
By treating actions as objects, you gain the ability to manipulate the sentence structure with surgical precision, moving away from the linear 'Subject-Verb-Object' constraint of B2 English into the multidimensional landscape of C2 discourse.