Twitter is currently facing a $250 million lawsuit from 17 music industry entities claiming the popular media site has committed multiple counts of copyright infringement.
The lawsuit is being led by many major publishers including Sony Music Publishing, Universal Music Group, Warner Chappell, and BMG as a result of Twitter’s refusal to license the millions of its songs on its service.
Other social media platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, and TikTok all have agreements with copyright holders, but Twitter is the largest social media platform to not agree to negotiate a deal.
The lawsuit claims that Twitter has allowed large-scale use of music without securing a license and continues to provide infringers access to its platform including leaking, launching, and streaming tracks, movies, and TV shows.
The lawsuit also lists 1,700 or so songs from a variety of genres that the publishers say have been included in multiple copyright notices to Twitter without any action, reportedly asking the court to fine Twitter up to $150,000 for each violation.
David Israelite, CEO of the National Music Publishers’ Association (NMPA), stated that “Twitter can no longer hide behind the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA) and neglect its responsibility to compensate songwriters and music publishers.”
This issue does predate Elon Musk’s acquisition of Twitter last year, but the New York Times stated Twitter had cut a music licensing deal between three major labels, but the agreement stalled after Musk’s takeover.
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