Music industry legal news

Anthropic’s latest legal filing tells court to focus on whether using lyrics is “transformative fair use”

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Anthropic • 4 min read

Anthropic’s latest legal filing tells court to focus on whether using lyrics is “transformative fair use”

Anthropic has asked the court to dismiss all but the core direct copyright infringement claim in the lawsuit filed against it by a group of music publishers. It argues that claims of contributory and vicarious infringement, and in relation to copyright management information, are “implausible”…

Chris Cooke • 19 Aug 2024

Revoke billion dollar damages award otherwise Grandma will be thrown off the internet, says Cox in Supreme Court copyright battle

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Cox Communications • 3 min read

Revoke billion dollar damages award otherwise Grandma will be thrown off the internet, says Cox in Supreme Court copyright battle

Internet access for millions of American consumers and businesses is in jeopardy unless the US Supreme Court overturns the billion dollar copyright judgement that the major labels secured against ISP Cox Communications, says the company in a colourful and highly dramatic US Supreme Court filing…

Chris Cooke • 16 Aug 2024

Spotify adds pricing information into its iOS app in Europe

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Spotify • 2 min read

Spotify adds pricing information into its iOS app in Europe

Spotify has signed up to Apple’s revised App Store terms in Europe, which include changes forced by EU law, allowing it to promote subscription packages within its iOS app. However, there won’t be links to payment pages on Spotify’s website, because it still objects to Apple’s terms on commissions…

Chris Cooke • 15 Aug 2024

MegaUpload founder Kim Dotcom to be extradited to US to face copyright charges

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Megaupload • 2 min read

MegaUpload founder Kim Dotcom to be extradited to US to face copyright charges

The New Zealand government has announced it is extradicting MegaUpload founder Kim Dotcom to the US to face criminal copyright charges relating to his former business. It comes after more than a decade of legal wrangling, though Dotcom still has more routes of appeal…

Chris Cooke • 15 Aug 2024

Judge declines to dismiss core copyright claims in Stable Diffusion legal battle

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AI • 4 min read

Judge declines to dismiss core copyright claims in Stable Diffusion legal battle

There has been an important ruling in one of the lawsuits filed by creators against generative AI companies. A judge has said the core copyright claims in a lawsuit instigated by a group of visual artists against Stability AI and others can proceed, though other legal claims have been dismissed…

Chris Cooke • 14 Aug 2024

Pitbull sued over alleged song-theft on ‘I Feel Good’

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Pitbull • 2 min read

Pitbull sued over alleged song-theft on ‘I Feel Good’

Pitbull’s label is on the receiving end of the latest song-theft lawsuit. A company called All Surface Publishing claims that his track ‘I Feel Good’ rips off an earlier song called ‘Samir’s Theme’, which was shared with Pitbull collaborator DJ White Shadow in 2011.…

Chris Cooke • 09 Aug 2024

Apple's latest proposal “blatantly disregards” fundamentals of EU’s DMA, says Spotify

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Apple • 4 min read

Apple's latest proposal “blatantly disregards” fundamentals of EU’s DMA, says Spotify

Spotify and Epic are not impressed with Apple’s latest attempt to make its App Store rules around in-app payments compliant with the EU’s Digital Markets Act. New proposals offer more flexibility and lower fees, but Spotify and Epic claim the latest terms still violate European law…

Chris Cooke • 09 Aug 2024

Creator groups call out copyright infringement in AI sector, demand that creator consent is secured

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Creators Rights Alliance • 3 min read

Creator groups call out copyright infringement in AI sector, demand that creator consent is secured

UK creator groups have sent a letter to various tech firms urging them to respect copyright when developing generative AI models. It also says that, when AI companies negotiate licensing deals with corporate rightsholders, they should seek assurances that those companies have secured creator consent…

Chris Cooke • 08 Aug 2024

Anthropic’s “tired arguments” and “scare tactics” should be rejected, say music organisations

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Anthropic • 3 min read

Anthropic’s “tired arguments” and “scare tactics” should be rejected, say music organisations

Various music industry trade organisations have submitted an amicus brief to the court where music publishers are suing AI company Anthropic for copyright infringement. The new court filing says that Anthropic is relying on tired arguments and scare tactics in its defence of the publishers’ lawsuit…

Chris Cooke • 08 Aug 2024

Finland slashes private copying compensation, sparking creative industries backlash

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Private Copying • 3 min read

Finland slashes private copying compensation, sparking creative industries backlash

Finland’s decision to halve private copying compensation to €5.5 million has drawn the ire of creator groups. Critics argue that the cut violates EU law and jeopardises funding for crucial arts programmes, while demanding a return to €11 million and warning of “harmful and destructive” consequences…

Chris Cooke • 07 Aug 2024

New digital replica right must not “inadvertently chill” legitimate use of AI in storytelling, say movie studios

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AI • 3 min read

New digital replica right must not “inadvertently chill” legitimate use of AI in storytelling, say movie studios

The US Patent & Trademark Office yesterday staged a roundtable on the legal protection of likeness and voice in the context of AI. There was support for a new digital replica right, but the movie and gaming sectors cautioned against making that new right too wide-ranging…

Chris Cooke • 06 Aug 2024

TikTok forced to ditch “addictive” Lite rewards scheme in the EU

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TikTok • 3 min read

TikTok forced to ditch “addictive” Lite rewards scheme in the EU

TikTok has permanently withdrawn its TikTok Lite rewards programme in Europe following criticism from EU officials. The EU has made the move legally binding. Over in the US, TikTok has criticised the redactions in a government submission justifying the sell-or-be-banned law…

Chris Cooke • 06 Aug 2024

Music industry legal news coverage