A federal court in Nashville, Tennessee, has become the battleground for a lawsuit filed against Twitter by a coalition of 17 music publishers. The publishers are accusing the social media giant of enabling the posting of copyrighted music without proper licensing, leading to a significant number of copyright violations. The lawsuit argues that Twitter consistently disregards repeat infringements committed by users who post tweets containing unlicensed music.
Publishers Seek Damages Exceeding $250 Million
The plaintiffs, including prominent members of the National Music Publishers’ Association such as Sony Music Publishing, BMG Rights Management, and Universal Music Publishing Group, are seeking damages exceeding $250 million. They claim that approximately 1,700 copyrights have been infringed upon by Twitter.
Intensification of Infringement Issues Under Elon Musk’s Ownership
The legal action highlights the intensification of infringement issues since Elon Musk’s acquisition of Twitter in October. The publishers also note that major platforms like TikTok, Facebook, and YouTube appropriately license music from the publishers, highlighting Twitter’s deviation from this standard.
Allegations of Encouraging User Infringement and Unfair Advantage
The lawsuit argues that Twitter actively encourages user infringement and benefits from increased engagement and advertising revenues as a result. This practice gives Twitter an “unfair advantage” over platforms that abide by proper music licensing agreements.
Disruption within Twitter’s Internal Operations
The publishers also point out the disruption within Twitter’s internal operations. They cite significant reductions in the company’s legal and trust-and-safety teams since Musk assumed control, which further complicates matters pertinent to the case.
Twitter’s Response and Eviction from Colorado Office
Twitter has yet to provide a comment in response to the allegations made in the lawsuit. In separate news, Twitter is facing eviction from its Colorado office due to unpaid rent for three months. A judge has signed off on the eviction, ruling that Twitter must vacate by the end of July.
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