Music Publishers File $250 Million Lawsuit Against Twitter for Copyright Infringement, accusing the Platform of allowing users to post unlicensed music. The lawsuit claims Twitter encourages infringement for increased engagement and ad revenue. Publishers argue that Twitter’s refusal to license songs gives it an unfair advantage over platforms that properly license music.
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In Nashville, Tennessee, a posse of 17 music publishing groups has slammed Twitter with a lawsuit, alleging that the social media giant fuels rampant copyright violations by letting users post music sans obtaining licenses. The litigators, which include Sony Music Publishing, BMG Rights Management, and Universal Music Publishing Group, are part of the National Music Publishers’ Association (NMPA) and are seeking over $250 million in damages for the violation of almost 1,700 copyrights. Per the lawsuit, the issue has been exacerbated since Elon Musk took the helm of Twitter in October, even as other major platforms such as TikTok, Facebook, and YouTube appropriately license music from the publishers.
David Israelite, the NMPA President, averred that Twitter is the largest social media platform that has outright refused to license the millions of songs available on its service. The lawsuit contends that Twitter consistently disregards repeat instances of infringement by users who tweet unlicensed music. The publishers argue that Twitter actively foments such infringement to boost user engagement and advertising revenues, giving the platform an unfair edge over rivals that pay for music licenses.
Moreover, the publishers underscore that Twitter’s internal affairs apropos this matter are in disarray, highlighting significant cutbacks in the company’s legal and trust-and-safety squads since Musk assumed control.
