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full screen Another, more colorful, influencer shows off a bag. The person in the picture has nothing to do with the article. Archive image. Photo: Noah K. Murray/AP/TT
An influencer in the US is suing another influencer for stealing her “vibe”, her style. The legal outcome could create ripples in the water for the industry.
An American influencer who focuses on “reviewing” Amazon products from his stylish home is suing another influencer who also posts about products from the giant company, from an equally low-key home. The tech site The Verge has met the two women, one in Austin in the state of Texas and one in Minneapolis in the state of Minnesota.
– It is of course very frustrating because I have put a lot of time and energy into my company. It feels like someone took a piece of my business and is marketing it as their own,” said the woman behind the lawsuit, which will now be heard by a Texas district judge.
According to both women, it is the other who is the copy. Both have hundreds of thousands of followers and a wealth of Tiktok posts viewed by millions.
The two women previously knew each other superficially, but have worked separately in recent years. But not in a unique enough way, says the one woman who sued the other for having copied her “vibe”, i.e. things like style, appeal, wording and product choice.
If the judge decides that the legal process should go ahead and the woman is ultimately convicted, she risks millions in fines.
A possible judgment could become prejudicial among influencers, who often focus on the same trends or products with very similar appeal.