Music industry legal news

Rapper BG told to allow US officials to review his songs prior to release

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BG • 2 min read

Rapper BG told to allow US officials to review his songs prior to release

A judge has told rapper BG that he must share new songs with the US authorities before releasing them so that they can check if the lyrics create any concerns under the terms of his supervised release from prison. Prosecutors had asked for an order banning him from rapping about certain topics…

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

Young Thug trial derailed as judge’s controversial private meeting causes indefinite delay

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Young Thug • 2 min read

Young Thug trial derailed as judge’s controversial private meeting causes indefinite delay

Rapper Young Thug’s trial faces uncertainty as defence lawyers continue to call for the judge to be removed from the case over a private meeting with prosecutors and a key witness. The trial has been paused to allow another judge to consider those demands…

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

Stem wars: recent lawsuits expose copyright pitfalls for labels and producers

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Music industry legal news coverage • 3 min read

Stem wars: recent lawsuits expose copyright pitfalls for labels and producers

Recent lawsuits highlight the complex copyright issues faced by labels and producers where multiple people are involved in the production of a track, with a number of clashes over unauthorised use of stems, loops and beats in hit songs…

Chris Cooke • 03 Jul 2024

Kanye West and henchman Milo Yiannopoulos hit with accusations alleging racism, fraud and more

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Kanye • 4 min read

Kanye West and henchman Milo Yiannopoulos hit with accusations alleging racism, fraud and more

Earlier this year Kanye West partnered with a team of developers around the world to work on creating his own streaming app. Now some of those developers have gone legal accusing the rapper of discrimination, fraud and failing to safeguard minors on the team from pornographic content…

Chris Cooke • 02 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

Online content is ‘freeware’ and anyone can copy anything on the ‘open web’ says Microsoft AI boss

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Microsoft • 2 min read

Online content is ‘freeware’ and anyone can copy anything on the ‘open web’ says Microsoft AI boss

Microsoft AI CEO Mustafa Suleyman was last week asked if AI companies have “effectively stolen the world’s IP”. He replied that there has been a ‘social contract’ that content published online is ‘fair use’ and ‘freeware’, unless a publisher says otherwise. Which isn’t what copyright law says…

Chris Cooke • 02 Jul 2024

Pharrell and Louis Vuitton told to pull their socks up in another trademark spat

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Pharrell Williams • 2 min read

Pharrell and Louis Vuitton told to pull their socks up in another trademark spat

Pharrell Williams is already involved in trademark disputes with Chad Hugo and Pink, and has now been sued alongside his friends at Louis Vuitton. The fashion company and producer have been selling Pocket Socks, which are socks with a pocket. This has angered a company called Pocket Socks Inc…

Chris Cooke • 01 Jul 2024

Ticketmaster data breach: new details emerge from official filings

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Ticketmaster • 2 min read

Ticketmaster data breach: new details emerge from official filings

Live Nation’s Ticketmaster has revealed more information about the data breach which, hackers claim, affected more than half a billion customers. In a letter filed with the Attorney General in Maine, the company also states that it is offering affected customers free identity monitoring services…

Sam Taylor • 01 Jul 2024

OpenDNS pulls plug on France and Portugal after web-blocking injunctions targeting football piracy

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OpenDNS • 2 min read

OpenDNS pulls plug on France and Portugal after web-blocking injunctions targeting football piracy

In recent years the music industry has sought web-blocking injunctions against DNS resolvers as well as ISPs in its ongoing battle with online piracy. French broadcaster Canal+ did the same, and Cisco’s OpenDNS has responded by switching off its service entirely in both France and Portugal…

Chris Cooke • 01 Jul 2024

Spanish collecting society fined €6.5 million over its anticompetitive licensing approach

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SGAE • 2 min read

Spanish collecting society fined €6.5 million over its anticompetitive licensing approach

SGAE in Spain has been fined again by the country’s competition regulator. Previously it was fined for making it difficult for members to move to rival society Unison. Now the regulator has criticised its broadcaster licences which, it says, further hinder competition in the licensing marketplace…

Chris Cooke • 28 Jun 2024