X just slapped the music industry with an antitrust lawsuit, claiming a coordinated shakedown. The platform alleges major publishers, working through their trade group, colluded to flood it with copyright takedowns. This campaign aimed to force X into expensive, industry-wide licensing deals instead of negotiating separately. Sony, Universal, Warner, and others are named in the filing.
The publishers' association reportedly threatened an unprecedented wave of infringement notices. Their goal was to pressure X by targeting popular users, potentially getting them banned. The legal complaint argues this was not about protecting copyrights but about extracting collective agreements. X claims over two hundred thousand posts were flagged initially.
Since larger publishers joined the effort, nearly half a million posts have been targeted. The platform states many takedown demands were baseless, citing examples like a school sports ceremony with faint background music. X had to remove these posts regardless, suspending tens of thousands of user accounts under the pressure.
In response, the trade group's leader called the lawsuit a meritless distraction. He asserts X is the lone major platform refusing to properly license music, engaging in infringement for years. Other social media sites like Instagram and YouTube have existing licensing deals, many facilitated by the same publishers' association.
X seeks massive financial penalties and a court order to stop the alleged collusion. The lawsuit claims the publishers control over ninety percent of the music licensing market in the United States. This legal fight follows a separate copyright case brought by publishers against X, which had entered settlement talks.
The publishers' association reportedly threatened an unprecedented wave of infringement notices. Their goal was to pressure X by targeting popular users, potentially getting them banned. The legal complaint argues this was not about protecting copyrights but about extracting collective agreements. X claims over two hundred thousand posts were flagged initially.
Since larger publishers joined the effort, nearly half a million posts have been targeted. The platform states many takedown demands were baseless, citing examples like a school sports ceremony with faint background music. X had to remove these posts regardless, suspending tens of thousands of user accounts under the pressure.
In response, the trade group's leader called the lawsuit a meritless distraction. He asserts X is the lone major platform refusing to properly license music, engaging in infringement for years. Other social media sites like Instagram and YouTube have existing licensing deals, many facilitated by the same publishers' association.
X seeks massive financial penalties and a court order to stop the alleged collusion. The lawsuit claims the publishers control over ninety percent of the music licensing market in the United States. This legal fight follows a separate copyright case brought by publishers against X, which had entered settlement talks.
