Music publishers sue Twitter for alleged copyright violations
Music publishers, including Sony and Universal, have sued Twitter for alleged copyright violations, seeking over $250 million in damages. The publishers accused Twitter for enabling users to post unlicensed music, driving engagement and ad revenues.
A group of 17 music publishers, including Sony Music Publishing, BMG Rights Management, and Universal Music Publishing Group, has filed a lawsuit against Twitter in federal court in Nashville, Tennessee. The publishers allege that Twitter has enabled thousands of copyright violations by allowing users to post music without obtaining the necessary licenses. The lawsuit claims that Twitter drives user engagement by allowing “countless infringing copies of musical compositions” to be shared on the platform.
The music publishers are seeking over $250 million in damages for the alleged infringement of nearly 1,700 copyrights. They argue that the infringement has worsened since Elon Musk purchased Twitter in October.
According to the lawsuit, Twitter has been negligent in addressing repeat infringement by users who post tweets containing unlicensed music. They further criticize Twitter’s handling of internal matters, noting significant cuts to the company’s legal and trust-and-safety teams since Musk assumed control.
Twitter has not yet responded to the lawsuit.
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