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Washington photographer files lawsuit alleging viral social media account violated copyright law

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Washington photographer files lawsuit alleging viral social media account violated copyright law


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.

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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.

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“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.

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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)

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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.”

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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. 



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Capitals Acquire a Conditional First-Round Pick in Either 2026 or 2027 and a 2027 Third-Round Pick from Anaheim for John Carlson | Washington Capitals

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Capitals Acquire a Conditional First-Round Pick in Either 2026 or 2027 and a 2027 Third-Round Pick from Anaheim for John Carlson | Washington Capitals


The Washington Capitals have acquired a conditional first-round pick in either the 2026 NHL Draft or the 2027 NHL Draft and a third-round pick in the 2027 NHL Draft from the Anaheim Ducks for defenseman John Carlson, senior vice president and general manager Chris Patrick announced today. Should Anaheim qualify for the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs, Anaheim will transfer its 2026 first-round pick to Washington. If Anaheim fails to qualify for the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs, Anaheim has the option to retain its 2026 first-round pick and transfer its 2027 first-round pick to Washington instead.

“Since joining our organization 17 years ago, John Carlson has exemplified what it means to be a Washington Capital every day,” said Patrick. “John’s determination, leadership, persistence and skill helped our franchise reach new heights and cemented him as a cornerstone and one of the greatest players in Capitals history. His contributions to our organization and the Washington, D.C., community both on and off the ice have been immeasurable. We are incredibly grateful for everything John has given to our team and wish him and his family nothing but the best moving forward with Anaheim.”

The Capitals own 22 total picks in the next three drafts, including four first-round selections and nine picks in the first three rounds. Washington also acquired a 2029 second-round pick from the Vegas Golden Knights on March 5.

Carlson, 36, recorded 46 points (10g, 36a) in 55 games with the Capitals this season and will be an unrestricted free agent at the end of the season. Carlson has played his entire 17-season career with the Capitals and is the franchise’s all-time leader in games played (1,143), goals (166), assists (605) and points (771) among defensemen. The Natick, Massachusetts native helped lead the Capitals to their first Stanley Cup championship in 2018, and led all defensemen in playoff scoring with 20 points (5g, 15a) in 24 games played. Carlson was originally drafted by Washington in the first round (27th overall) of the 2008 NHL Draft.

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Police finish DoorDash delivery after arresting driver in New Jersey

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Police finish DoorDash delivery after arresting driver in New Jersey


WASHINGTON TWP., N.J. — Officers in Washington Township, said they finished a DoorDash food delivery after arresting the driver who had warrants out for his arrest.

Body camera video shows officers stepping in to deliver the food themselves, a move the department in southern New Jersey later shared on its Facebook page.

“I thought something happened. Oh my God, I got so scared,” said the customer when she answered the door.

The DoorDash customer, seen on police body cam video, was instantly relieved and appreciative upon learning why officers were at her door.

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“Arrested your driver, but, yeah, we delivered your food,” one of the officers said.

It turns out a Washington Township police officer stopped the DoorDash driver during routine patrols in front of a high school over the weekend.

“He made a stop on it for a violation,” said Washington Township Police Chief Patrick Gurcsik.

But then, Chief Gurcsik said the officer learned the driver had warrants out for his arrest in another county.

“He made the officers aware that he had two DoorDash meals in the car that he was in the middle of delivering,” Gurcsik said.

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The officers went from cuffing the driver to ringing a doorbell to finish his delivery.

“I never heard of anything like that in the South Jersey area. It’s sort of a first for us here in Washington Township, definitely,” Gurcsik said.

Police finish DoorDash delivery after arresting driver in New Jersey

It’s happened in other places, too, including in New Mexico last summer, when a motorcycle cop delivered someone’s Chick-fil-A order after arresting the driver.

“Hello, sir, got your DoorDash. Oh, thank you,” the officer said. “He’s a good kid, give him five stars. He just didn’t take care of a simple insurance ticket.”

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And officers over in Arizona made a similar arrest during a traffic stop and were seen on body camera finishing the delivery.

“Your GrubHub, still delivered your pizza,” the officer said.

“We definitely serve the community in more ways than one,” Gurcsik said.

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Holdout Democrats leave WA House support for income tax in doubt

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Holdout Democrats leave WA House support for income tax in doubt


The votes weren’t there yet late Wednesday for Democrats’ income tax bill in the Washington state House.Democratic members are withholding support for the proposed income tax on millionaires, saying they want to see if a new version of the controversial legislation, possibly due out Thursday, will satisfy their concerns.



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