Music industry legal news

Diddy is a “complicated man” says defence lawyer as prosecutors go big

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Diddy • 4 min read

Diddy is a “complicated man” says defence lawyer as prosecutors go big

The trial of Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs on charges of sex trafficking and racketeering is underway, with prosecutors starting by showing jurors footage of him assaulting ex-girlfriend Cassie Ventura. The defence insists that Combs is “a very flawed individual” but not a racketeer or sex trafficker…

Chris Cooke • 13 May 2025

US Copyright Office report on whether AI training is fair use concludes “it depends”, but generally favours copyright owners

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Artificial Intelligence • 5 min read

US Copyright Office report on whether AI training is fair use concludes “it depends”, but generally favours copyright owners

The US Copyright Office has published its report on whether AI companies can make use of existing content without getting permission, because doing so is fair use. It ultimately concludes that “it depends”, stating that the purpose and market impact of the AI are key factors to consider…

Chris Cooke • 12 May 2025

US Copyright Office “raced to release” AI report ahead of Trump firing its boss

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US Copyright Office • 3 min read

US Copyright Office “raced to release” AI report ahead of Trump firing its boss

Donald Trump sacked the boss of the US Copyright Office shortly after it published its report on whether or not AI training is fair use. The two events are probably linked - though it’s more likely the Office rush-released the report knowing that chief Shira Perlmutter was about to be axed…

Chris Cooke • 12 May 2025

SoundCloud says it’s not training AI with users’ content, despite its terms and conditions saying it can

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SoundCloud • 2 min read

SoundCloud says it’s not training AI with users’ content, despite its terms and conditions saying it can

Last week there was a flurry of debate online about a term on the SoundCloud website that says users agree that their content may be used to “inform, train or develop” AI. In response, SoundCloud insists that it isn’t using tracks uploaded to its platform to train music-making generative AI models…

Chris Cooke • 12 May 2025

UK’s Data Bill passes without creative industries’ demands for copyright and AI safeguards

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Artificial Intelligence • 4 min read

UK’s Data Bill passes without creative industries’ demands for copyright and AI safeguards

Opposition MPs yesterday tried but failed to get measures on copyright and AI added to the Data Bill. The government argues that rather than sneaking measures into data legislation, bespoke new laws should be developed to address copyright issues in the context of AI. But when will that happen?…

Chris Cooke • 08 May 2025

Jay-Z says defamation continues, Buzbee rewrote Wikipedia

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Jay-Z • 3 min read

Jay-Z says defamation continues, Buzbee rewrote Wikipedia

The legal battle between Jay-Z, the woman who accused him of rape and her lawyer Tony Buzbee continues. In a new legal filing, the rapper says his accuser continues to defame him despite dropping her lawsuit - and that Buzbee is rewriting Wikipedia to his advantage…

Chris Cooke • 07 May 2025

Musi faked email from Universal exec in attempt to stop App Store ban says Apple lawyer

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Musi • 3 min read

Musi faked email from Universal exec in attempt to stop App Store ban says Apple lawyer

Music app Musi is suing Apple, which kicked it out of the App Store last year. In a new filing, Apple says an amended lawsuit filed by Musi contains false claims. It also alleges that Musi once faked an email from Universal Music to convince Apple that a complaint from the major had been addressed…

Chris Cooke • 07 May 2025

Jimmy Page sued by ‘Dazed And Confused’ songwriter over Led Zeppelin documentary

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Jimmy Page • 2 min read

Jimmy Page sued by ‘Dazed And Confused’ songwriter over Led Zeppelin documentary

Following a 2010 lawsuit, it was agreed that Led Zeppelin’s track ‘Dazed And Confused’ was inspired by an earlier song of the same name by Jake Holmes. He now claims that a performance of the song by The Yardbirds in a recent Led Zeppelin documentary used his version, but it wasn’t licensed as such…

Chris Cooke • 06 May 2025

“I just don't understand how that can be fair use”, says judge in Meta AI trial

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Artificial Intelligence • 4 min read

“I just don't understand how that can be fair use”, says judge in Meta AI trial

Numerous lawsuits filed by copyright owners against AI companies centre on whether or not AI training is ‘fair use’ under US copyright law. A judge last week considered that question in the context of a lawsuit against Meta, at one point stating “I just don't understand how that can be fair use”…

Chris Cooke • 06 May 2025

UK government veers away from AI copyright exception in latest response to controversial Data Bill

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Artificial Intelligence • 4 min read

UK government veers away from AI copyright exception in latest response to controversial Data Bill

MPs will tomorrow try to put measures around copyright and AI, previously backed by the House Of Lords, into the Data Bill. Keen to stop that, ministers are hoping to placate MPs by saying they no longer favour the controversial proposal to introduce a new copyright exception to benefit AI companies…

Chris Cooke • 06 May 2025

Spotify welcomes Epic ruling ending the Apple Tax in the US

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Apple Music • 3 min read

Spotify welcomes Epic ruling ending the Apple Tax in the US

A US judge has ordered Apple to let developers link to alternative payment options from within their iOS apps without restrictions or fees. The ruling comes in the legal battle between Apple and Epic Games, but also benefits Spotify, which has welcomed the news…

Chris Cooke • 02 May 2025

Seeking to keep copyright and AI out of the Data Bill, ministers promise an impact assessment of proposed copyright exception

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Artificial Intelligence • 2 min read

Seeking to keep copyright and AI out of the Data Bill, ministers promise an impact assessment of proposed copyright exception

When the UK House Of Lords considered a new Data Bill it added some lines about the copyright and transparency obligations of AI companies. The government got them removed, but some MPs are trying to get them reinserted. Ministers now hope to placate critics with the promise of an impact assessment…

Chris Cooke • 01 May 2025

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