Ariana Grande takes legal action against anonymous hackers over 'malicious invasion' of privacy
Ariana Grande is taking legal action against anonymous hackers over alleged 'malicious invasion' of privacy, according to recent reports.
The Wicked star claims the two hackers, who were not named in the lawsuit, gained access to confidential information, which included unreleased songs, footage from recording sessions, as well as music videos.
Grande claims the hackers leaked this material after targeting the personal accounts of photographers and producers that she'd worked closely with.
In the suit filed in Los Angeles and reported on by various US media outlets, Grande claims the hackers sold the data and the confidential content for 'significant sums of money'.
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"In 2023 alone, 45 unreleased songs belonging to Ms. Grande were hacked, stolen, and leaked by Defendants," the complaint alleges.
"Since her music debut in 2011, hundreds of similar leaks have taken place."
Grande claims the unnamed John Does are guilty of phishing scams and hacking schemes that have caused 'unlawful and egregious theft, dissemination, and exploitation of unreleased content', according to the documents seen by Variety.
The outlet reports that Grande is suing the unknown hackers to 'uncover the identities of these currently unknown and unscrupulous individuals in order to hold them accountable for their invasive and reprehensible conduct', while the lawsuit states 'it is imperative to Ms. Grande to ensure — on behalf of herself and others — that such conduct is deterred to the fullest extent possible'.
Sources close to Grande have spoken to PEOPLE in the aftermath of the suit being filed, with the insider claiming it's 'intended to serve as a deterrent' to any potential future hacks.
"The lawsuit is intended to serve as a deterrent against future acts of this nature — not only targeting Ariana, but also the many artists who have faced similar invasions of their privacy and theft of their creative work," the source claims.
"Artists deserve the right to control how and when their art is shared with the world. The unlawful theft and distribution of creative work undermines that right and should not be tolerated."
Included in the alleged offences that have occurred since she made her music debut in 2011, the hackers are said to have accessed a Dropbox account belonging to a photographer who had worked with Grande.
They are also claimed to have hacked into the mobile of one of Grande's producers at the time, which gained them access to footage from recording sessions.
Access to 45 unreleased songs was seen by the hackers in 2023, according to the lawsuit.
Meanwhile, the legal document also claims the anonymous hackers created a Gmail account impersonating a photographer so that a digital technician could send unreleased photos belonging to Grande.
UNILAD has reached out to Grande's representatives for comment.
Topics: Ariana Grande, US News
Callum Jones