Washington photographer files lawsuit alleging viral social media account violated copyright law
Washington photographer seeks up to $150K for each image allegedly used by 'Zillow Gone Wild'
A photographer who says two of her photos were used by the popular social media account, "Zillow Gone Wild," without her permission has filed a lawsuit.
The real estate marketplace company, Zillow, headquartered in Seattle, is not affiliated with the account.
Jennifer Bouma, a commercial photographer in Lake Stevens, Washington, who specializes in real estate interiors and exteriors, is seeking upwards of $150,000 for each photograph, according to the lawsuit, which was filed on July 29.
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The "Zillow Gone Wild" social media accounts have gone viral for sharing unique properties that are listed on Zillow.com.
A photographer in Washington (not pictured) has filed a lawsuit against the viral social media account "Zillow Gone Wild" for copyright infringement of her photos. The account has millions of followers across multiple online platforms. (iStock / iStock)
On X, "Zillow Gone Wild" has 662,000 followers and nearly two million on Instagram, along with more than one million Facebook followers.
"Zillow Gone Wild," owned by New York-based parent company Kale Salad, also has a page on the platform, Substack, where the lawsuit alleges the copyrighted photos were posted.
Posts including the photos have since been taken down on all platforms.
FOX Business reached out to "Zillow Gone Wild" for comment.
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The "Defendant is not and has never been licensed to use or display Copyrighted Photographs. [The] Defendant never contacted Plaintiff to seek permission to use Copyrighted Photographs in connection with its website or for any other purpose," reads the complaint.
The photos in question, copyrighted in January 2022, show an estate in Monroe, Washington, listed for $2.3 million at the time.
Under 17 U.S. Code Section 504 copyright owners are allowed to recover statutory damages instead of actual damages and profits for copyright infringement.
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The home, located at 21632 High Rock Road, has four bedrooms and three bathrooms comprising of 3,161 square feet, according to Zillow.
The Washington photographer is seeking up to $150,000 for each photograph allegedly used by "Zillow Gone Wild." (iStock / iStock)
One photo showcases a grand library with high ceilings while the other captures a large dragon statue in the yard.
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Zillow declined to comment on the suit.
Beverly Jackson, a Zillow executive, spoke with the site Marketing Brew in June.
The outlet reported, "It’s been a net positive for the company, [Jackson] said, and has led to greater brand affinity," adding that Zillow, "has opted to embrace the account and its use of Zillow’s marks and logo, instead of fighting it."
A Zillow executive told Marketing Brew, an online publication, in June that Zillow embraces the "Zillow Gone Wild" account. (fstop123/PeopleImages / iStock)
Bouma argues in the suit that she notified "Zillow Gone Wild" about the alleged infringement in April when she learned of the postings and the two parties were unable to negotiate a reasonable license.
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FOX Business reached out to the Virginia-based law firm, The Law Office of David C. Deal, P.L.C., which is representing Bouma, for additional comment.