Influencer Can’t Dodge Creator’s Vibe-Theft Copyright Suit (1)

Influencer Alyssa Sheil failed to dismiss most of fellow creator Sydney Nicole Gifford’s federal lawsuit accusing her of misappropriating Gifford’s likeness to create “virtually indistinguishable” social media content.

Gifford’s copyright and right-of-publicity claims were sufficiently pleaded, according to an order issued Wednesday in the US District Court for the Western District of Texas. Judge Robert Pitman overruled Sheil’s objections and fully adopted Magistrate Judge Dustin Howell’s Nov. 15 report recommending Gifford’s vicarious copyright infringement, Digital Millennium Copyright Act, and likeness claims move forward.

Sheil respects the decision and looks forward to defeating this case at trial, her attorney, Jason S. ...