Twitter sued for $250 million due to music copyright infringement

The National Music Publishers’ Association sued Twitter on behalf of 17 music publishers for allegedly promoting copyright infringement. According to The Verge, the group filed a lawsuit in a federal court in Tennessee. Moreover, the publishers seek more than $250 million in damages, claiming Twitter infringed upon numerous songs.

Artists deserve fair compensation for their work, no matter how famous. Consequently, music publishers uphold this principle by clamping down on copyright infringement. As technology improves, people find more ways to share other people’s music without permission.

The Twitter lawsuit shows readers how companies promote copyright law. This article will discuss why 17 music publishers use one of the largest social media platforms. Later, I will discuss the other challenges that the company faces.

Why is Twitter facing a copyright infringement lawsuit?

Twitter Facing $250M Copyright Infringement Lawsuit From Music Publishers https://t.co/BAERmIZ8kK

— billboard (@billboard) June 14, 2023

The National Music Publishers’ Association seeks more than $250 million in damages for the alleged copyright infringement of almost 1,700 songs. The Verge says that represents $150,000 for each violation.

According to Reuters, NMPA members include BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group, and Sony Music Publishing. Their lawsuit claims Twitter drives user engagement with “countless infringing copies of musical compositions.”

It said the alleged copyright violations happened before Elon Musk acquired the platform in October 2022. However, NMPA President David Israelite noted these issues have worsened since Musk took control.

Israelite stated, “Twitter’s internal affairs regarding matters pertinent to this case are in disarray.” Also, he added, “Twitter stands alone as the largest social media platform that has completely refused to license the millions of songs on its service.”

“Twitter knows full well that music is leaked, launched, and streamed by billions of people every day on its platform. No longer can it hide behind the DMCA and refuse to pay songwriters and music publishers.”

Mashable notes Twitter is not a music streaming service. Yet, the plaintiffs complained about the social media site’s videos having copyrighted music.

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For example, the lawsuit cites a Twitter user who uploaded Billie Eilish’s “You Should See Me In A Crown” music video. It shows a screenshot of ads surrounding the clip.

The Verge says the lawsuit cited Elon Musk’s tweets and his Twitter blue package. For example, One user complained their account may get suspended after five copyright notices.

In response, Musk replied he was “looking into” the issue and suggested they “consider turning on subscriptions.” The lawsuit claims the comments encouraged the user to pay Twitter to hide the infringing material.

What are Twitter’s other problems?

Photo Credit: wired.com

The company is facing other problems besides the copyright lawsuit. Twitter has a new CEO, Linda Yaccarino, who must fix these other issues:

1. She must improve the company’s reputation to encourage advertisers to return. Elon Musk loosened content moderation in his first days as Twitter owner. As a result, many people impersonated companies and posted content inappropriate for investors.
2. Moreover, Yaccarino must think of ways to help the company profit. In March 2023, Elon Musk said the company was less than half of what he paid to acquire it. Musk launched the paid subscription service Twitter Blue, but the company needs more methods.
3. The new CEO must balance content moderation with free speech. Giving users freedom of speech upholds Musk’s initial promise of a “digital town square.” Meanwhile, moderation encourages ads on the platform.
4. Also, Yaccarino must boost employee morale after Elon Musk’s actions. In October 2022, he told BBC he cut his workforce from 8,000 to 1,500. Moreover, he discontinued remote work and required workers to accept “long hours at high intensity.”
5. She must also accomplish these goals before users use other social media networks.

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Conclusion

Twitter got sued for allegedly letting people play music videos on its platform. Publishers claim the website intentionally allows copyright infringement to attract online traffic.

Reuters said it has not responded to the lawsuit at the time of writing. Meanwhile, The Verge says Elon Musk has been tweeting about news anchor Tucker Carlson.

The Music Business Worldwide website shows the full lawsuit. You can read that to learn more about the case. Also, check out Inquirer Tech for the latest digital trends.