Kim Kardashian has reportedly launched a $10 million (£8 million) lawsuit against tech companies iHandy and Taplogic as she claims that their photo editing app exploited one of her pictures and used it without paying her.
The reality star has sued the developers, claiming that iHandy’s Sweet Cam app used a selfie of her from 2017, in which she is promoting her beauty line, for its own advertising campaign that promoted the app, according to court documents obtained by DailyMail.com.
Kim has accused the companies of using the image to ‘reap millions of dollars worth of advertising and promotional services from [her] without paying for it’.
iHandy counter argued that they did not realise the image they used was actually of Kim, but her legal team have blasted this defence as ‘ridiculous’.
‘Defendants incredulously and ridiculously feigned ignorance and assert that, of the billions upon billions of photographs on the internet and Instagram, they didn’t know that the one photo they pilfered and featured… is a popular photo of Kardashian that she had posted to promote her makeup beauty line, i.e. a photo of one of the most famous and recognisable women in the world,’ the suit states.
The legal team state that Kim was subject to further exploitation by iHandy, even after they were warned of the infringement.
They continued: ‘Even after notice of the infringement, iHandy continued exploiting Kardashian’s image and persona, and even threatened to go after Kardashian should she advance claims to protect her rights.’
Kim’s legal team does not think the $10 million sum is too high because ‘she receives significant compensation per individual Instagram post and/or for use of her image and persona in advertisement campaigns’ if she agrees to an endorsement campaign with a company or product that she supports.
iHandy’s Sweet Cam is a free app with in-app purchases that allows users to ‘use professional editing tools and powerful features to enhance your natural beauty,’ according to a statement on its official website. The app also includes around 20 different filters and options such as the ability to change one’s hair colour.
Metro.co.uk have contacted reps for Kim for comment.
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