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French Publishers Sue X over Copyright
French news publishers are suing X for copyright infringement, highlighting the ongoing conflict between media companies and tech platforms over the use of news content.
French
France
TechnologyFranceLawsuitMediaCopyright
XMicrosoftLinkedinLe FigaroLe Monde
Pierre LouetteMarc FeuilléeLouis DreyfusOpenai
- Why are French news publishers suing X?
- French news publishers are suing X (formerly Twitter) for refusing to negotiate payments for using their content, a right granted under a 2019 European directive. This follows similar lawsuits against Microsoft and LinkedIn, highlighting the ongoing conflict between publishers and platforms over neighboring rights.
- What is the legal basis for these lawsuits?
- The lawsuits stem from a French law implementing the EU directive, which allows publishers to claim up to five years of back payments. X argues it shouldn't be held liable because users, not the platform itself, share news links, while publishers contend X profits from their content.
- What is X's argument against paying publishers?
- A previous court order demanding X provide data for calculating payments remains unfulfilled, leading to this new lawsuit. The publishers are pursuing a full legal case, anticipating a lengthy process and seeking revisions to the law to include arbitration mechanisms, as seen in Australia.
- What are the publishers' concerns regarding future negotiations with other tech platforms and AI companies?
- French publishers are preparing to renegotiate existing agreements with Meta and Google, concerned about potential reductions in payments due to decreased traffic referrals. Concerns also exist regarding the lack of compensation from AI companies using their content, illustrated by OpenAI's refusal to negotiate collectively.
- What potential solutions are being discussed to resolve the conflict between publishers and tech platforms?
- The ongoing legal battles underscore the complexities of balancing the rights of news publishers with the operations of large tech platforms and AI companies. The cases highlight the need for clearer legal frameworks and potentially more effective dispute resolution mechanisms to ensure fair compensation for news content.