Snoop Dogg Faces Lawsuit Over Posting Viral Video

The internet space is still the wild, wild west in many instances. Memes and viral videos fly across the web at rapid speed as social media users often share copyrighted and licensed content with their friends, family, and followers.

Snoop Dogg’s decision to upload a 104-second clip of a protestor scaling JPMorgan Chase’s Manhattan headquarters led to a lawsuit. He captioned the April 3-dated post, “Dummy of the week.” It currently has over 4.5 million views.

Billboard reports FreedomNews.TV is accusing Snoop of stealing copyrighted material from the media company and violating the Digital Millennium Copyright Act. According to Radar Online, FNTV LLC is seeking $150,000 in damages.

FreedomNews.TV claims Snoop Dogg posted an “exact copy” of footage owned by the outlet without permission. However, the self-described “small business news agency” reportedly admitted to not registering the video for a copyright until April 9, six days after Snoop’s post.

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FNTV LLC is attempting to hold Snoop Dogg legally accountable for having an “active and pervasive role” in what appears on his social media accounts. Legal documents state, “Without permission or authorization from Plaintiff, Defendant volitionally selected, copied, stored and/or displayed Plaintiff’s copyright protected Video.”

The copyright infringement case against Snoop Dogg was filed in Los Angeles federal court on October 18. As of press time, the rapper born Calvin Broadus Jr., nor his representatives, have publicly addressed this legal situation.

Meanwhile, Snoop Dogg is said to be preparing to release another album in the coming weeks as part of a so-called “Aftermath Takeover” campaign. The Long Beach, California native will join Dr. Dre, Mary J. Blige, Eminem, and Kendrick Lamar for the Super Bowl LVI halftime show on February 13, 2022.