Music publishers sue Twitter over alleged copyright violations involving 1,700 songs.
A group of 17 music publishers in the United States has filed a lawsuit against Twitter, accusing the platform of facilitating copyright infringements of nearly 1,700 songs. The National Music Publishers’ Association (NMPA) is seeking over $250 million in damages.
The lawsuit, filed in the Federal District Court in Nashville, claims that Twitter profits from and encourages infringement. The NMPA alleges that Twitter has not improved its copyright practices since Elon Musk acquired the company. The NMPA represents major firms such as Sony Music Publishing, BMG Rights Management, and Universal Music Publishing Group.
They argue that Twitter’s unauthorized use of music gives it an unfair advantage over competitors who pay for proper licensing, including TikTok, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and Snapchat. Twitter is accused of being the largest social media platform that refuses to license millions of songs. Twitter has not yet responded to the lawsuit.
The NMPA also criticizes Twitter’s handling of copyright matters since Musk took ownership, citing downsizing of content review departments, resignations of trust and safety chiefs, and a failure to address known repeat infringers and infringements. The company has undergone significant changes, including workforce reductions and alterations to account verification, since Musk’s acquisition.
