Photographer Files Federal Copyright Lawsuit Against Taboola

Author: Tara Mapes

In January 2026, I filed a federal lawsuit against Taboola, Inc. in the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York. The case is Mapes v. Taboola, Inc., Case No. 1:26-cv-00234.

The allegations described in this article are based on the complaint filed in federal court and have not yet been adjudicated.

The complaint alleges, among other things, copyright infringement and related violations arising from the distribution of advertisements that incorporated several of my registered photographic works without authorization.

Background

Beginning in April 2025, I discovered my copyrighted images appearing in online

advertisements served through Taboola’s advertising network.

According to the complaint, the advertisements incorporated multiple registered photographic works depicting children and were used to promote products offered through third-party sellers associated with the AliExpress marketplace.

After discovering the advertisements, I sent multiple DMCA-compliant takedown notices along with supporting documentation, including screenshots, URLs, and proof of copyright registration.

The lawsuit alleges that despite these notices, the advertisements continued to appear within the ad network.

Prior Attempt to Resolve the Dispute

Before filing in federal court, I initiated a proceeding before the Copyright Claims Board (CCB), CCB Case No.: 25-CCB-0192.

The CCB provides a streamlined forum for resolving copyright disputes. However, Taboola exercised its statutory right to opt out of the CCB proceeding. Under the governing statute, once a respondent opts out, the CCB matter cannot proceed and any dispute must be pursued in federal court.

The Federal Lawsuit

Following the CCB opt-out, I retained counsel and filed a lawsuit in federal court.

The complaint asserts claims for:

 Direct copyright infringement

 Contributory copyright infringement

 Vicarious copyright infringement

 Violations of the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA)

 False designation of origin and false endorsement under the Lanham Act

 Unfair competition

The lawsuit alleges that Taboola’s advertising network distributed and monetized advertisements containing my copyrighted photographs.

As alleged in the complaint, the advertisements were served across publisher websites through Taboola’s ad-distribution platform.

DMCA Issues Raised in the Case

The lawsuit also raises issues concerning the DMCA safe harbor provisions, including whether, as alleged in the complaint, Taboola reasonably implemented a repeat-infringer policy and responded appropriately to takedown notices. These issues are currently being addressed in the pending federal litigation.

Current Status

The case is currently pending before the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York.

The complaint seeks, among other relief:

 Injunctive relief

 Statutory damages under the Copyright Act

 Disgorgement of profits

 Attorneys’ fees and costs

As with any lawsuit, the allegations in the complaint remain to be adjudicated by the court.

Why the Case Matters

This case raises broader questions about how advertising networks respond to copyright notices and how copyrighted creative works are handled within digital advertising systems.

The litigation will address those issues through the normal judicial process.

Updates will be shared as the case progresses.