CoStar Group Sues Zillow Over Unauthorized Use of Photos

CoStar Group Files Lawsuit Against Zillow Over Unauthorized Use of Photographs In a recent legal development, CoStar Group has initiated a lawsuit against real estate platform Zillow, alleging the unauthorized use of approximately 47,000 of its copyrighted images. The complaint asserts that Zillow has displayed and profited from these images across its website and associated platforms without obtaining permission. Many of these photographs bear CoStar's watermark, and some appear multiple times across different listings, totaling over 250,000 instances. Furthermore, the lawsuit claims that Zillow's infringement extends beyond its own sites through syndication agreements, distributing CoStar's images to partner websites like Realtor.com and Redfin, which are considered competitors. CoStar is seeking permanent injunctive relief and significant damages. The company’s CEO, Andy Florance, criticized Zillow's actions, emphasizing the company's investment in its image database and warning of potential legal actions against other platforms if the images are not promptly removed. CoStar operates several real estate websites, including Apartments.com, Homes.com, and LoopNet.com. As of no...