There are a lot of folks who are not too pleased with how Twitter is run nowadays, including individuals from major music companies who claim to see “rampant infringement of copyrighted music” taking place on the platform.
In regard to these claims and damages that allegedly have been caused, companies like BMG, Sony, and Warner, among others, have filed a lawsuit against the social media platform for $250 million.
Regarding this claim, the introduction to the lawsuit shares the following:
“This is a civil action seeking damages and injunctive relief for Twitter’s willful copyright infringement. Twitter fuels its business with countless infringing copies of musical compositions, violating Publishers’ and others’ exclusive rights under copyright law. While numerous Twitter competitors recognize the need for proper licenses and agreements for the use of musical compositions on their platforms, Twitter does not, and instead breeds massive copyright infringement that harms music creators”
Another section of this lawsuit goes on to claim that Twitter “consistently and knowingly hosts and streams infringing copies of musical compositions.”
Per this section of the lawsuit: “Twitter knows perfectly well that neither it nor users of the Twitter platform have secured licenses for the rampant use of music being made on its platform as complained of herein. Nonetheless, in connection with its highly interactive platform, Twitter consistently and knowingly hosts and streams infringing copies of musical compositions, including ones uploaded by or streamed to Tennessee residents and including specific infringing material that Twitter knows is infringing. Twitter also routinely continues to provide specific known repeat infringers with use of the Twitter platform, which they use for more infringement.”
And in section 11, the lawsuit states: “Twitter’s unlawful conduct has caused and continues to cause substantial and irreparable harm to Publishers, their songwriter clients, and the entire music ecosystem. Twitter’s unlawful conduct enriches Twitter at Publishers’ and their songwriters’ expense and to the detriment of their copyrighted musical compositions. Twitter has rebuffed calls for it to obtain the licenses or other agreements needed for musical compositions to be lawfully used on its platform. Accordingly, Publishers have no choice but to file this lawsuit to stop Twitter’s ongoing infringement of Publishers’ rights and remedy the significant harm Twitter has caused, which will continue if left unremedied.”
These are some serious allegations. We will keep you posted on this story as more details come in.
If you are interested in learning more about this matter, you can read the lawsuit in its entirety for yourself by following this link here.