Digital

186 posts

TikTok criticised over missing safety features in its Lite app

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TikTok • 2 min read

TikTok criticised over missing safety features in its Lite app

A new report from the Mozilla Foundation raises concerns about the TikTok Lite app, claiming that it does not contain many of the safety features found in the main TikTok app, including the labelling of AI-generated content. TikTok says the report is misleading…

Chris Cooke • 25 Jul 2024

Major label trade group criticises Canada’s 5% streaming levy

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Music Canada • 3 min read

Major label trade group criticises Canada’s 5% streaming levy

Music Canada, which represents the major record companies, has issued a statement about the 5% streaming levy being introduced in the country. Whereas the indie labels have welcomed the plan for how that levy will work, Music Canada is critical, calling the levy “staggering” and the plan “outdated”…

Chris Cooke • 25 Jul 2024

Spotify ramps up protection for younger users, launches new Parental Guide

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Spotify • 2 min read

Spotify ramps up protection for younger users, launches new Parental Guide

Under pressure to do more to deal with harmful content on its platform, Spotify has launched a new Parental Guide, offering advice for how parents can monitor and manage their children’s use of the service. “Safety is a top priority for Spotify”, says Head Of Platform Integrity Marcelina Slota…

Chris Cooke • 22 Jul 2024

TikTok owner is a gatekeeper subject to extra regulation, EU court rules

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TikTok • 2 min read

TikTok owner is a gatekeeper subject to extra regulation, EU court rules

Last year the European Commission said that TikTok should be deemed a ‘gatekeeper’ platform under the European Union’s Digital Markets Act, and is therefore subject to extra regulation. TikTok disagreed, but an EU court has upheld that decision…

Chris Cooke • 18 Jul 2024

Majority of subscription websites and apps employ ‘dark patterns’, says two new reports

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Digital • 2 min read

Majority of subscription websites and apps employ ‘dark patterns’, says two new reports

Two new reports say that most subscription websites and apps employ dark patterns, design techniques that manipulate consumers when making buying or data decisions. The reports are published as criticism mounts over how Spotify is currently hiding its 10.99 audiobook free subscription product…

Chris Cooke • 12 Jul 2024

Songwriters welcome Copyright Office clarity on termination rights and streaming royalties

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US Copyright Office • 3 min read

Songwriters welcome Copyright Office clarity on termination rights and streaming royalties

The US Copyright Office has issued a final ruling regarding how collecting society MLC handles the payment of digital royalties when songwriters exercise the termination right and end old publishing deals. Previously publishers continued to get those royalties, but that shouldn’t have been the case…

Chris Cooke • 10 Jul 2024

Streaming giants sue to block Canada's 5% revenue levy

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Digital • 2 min read

Streaming giants sue to block Canada's 5% revenue levy

Spotify, Apple and Amazon are taking legal action against Canada’s new 5% streaming levy. The music industry welcomes the cash injection, but platforms argue it’s “unsustainable” and may hike prices. Meanwhile, Netflix and Disney+ are fighting the levy’s use for local news funding. Legal drama ahoy!…

Chris Cooke • 09 Jul 2024

Warner Music fires AI warning shot: ‘Get a licence or face the consequences’

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Warner Music • 2 min read

Warner Music fires AI warning shot: ‘Get a licence or face the consequences’

Warner Music has written to AI companies setting out its position that licences must be secured before its music is used to train AI models. The stern letter, which follows Sony’s lead, extends to artist likeness and voice, and formally opts out of the EU data mining exception…

Chris Cooke • 04 Jul 2024

Sony Music Japan hunts pirate site operators through US courts

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Sony Music • 1 min read

Sony Music Japan hunts pirate site operators through US courts

The people behind a piracy service that specialises in Japanese music could be about to run into some legal challenges. Sony Music Japan has secured a US court order which forces Cloudflare to provide info about the site’s operators, with the aim that Sony can identify and pursue the individuals…

Chris Cooke • 04 Jul 2024

Lawsuit? What lawsuit? Suno thumbs nose at majors as it launches mobile app

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Suno • 2 min read

Lawsuit? What lawsuit? Suno thumbs nose at majors as it launches mobile app

With Suno facing the mother of all copyright lawsuits, the AI music company is riding the wave of publicity brought by its legal woes and has launched its first mobile app - only available to iPhone users in the USA - which allows users to create songs from text or audio…

Chris Cooke • 03 Jul 2024

YouTube cracks down on AI deepfakes: new rules allow takedowns of unauthorised vocal clones

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YouTube • 3 min read

YouTube cracks down on AI deepfakes: new rules allow takedowns of unauthorised vocal clones

YouTube has updated its privacy policies to allow the removal of AI-generated deepfakes and vocal clones, responding to growing concerns about unauthorised use of likeness and voice…

Chris Cooke • 03 Jul 2024

After suing Apple, the EU is going after Meta for DMA breaches

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Meta • 2 min read

After suing Apple, the EU is going after Meta for DMA breaches

The European Commission has published a second preliminary finding in relation to big tech and the EU Digital Markets Act, having previously ruled on Apple. This time it’s Meta’s personal data policies in the spotlight which, the Commission says, are not compliant with the DMA…

Chris Cooke • 02 Jul 2024