Twitter Inc (NYSE: TWTR) is facing a lawsuit amounting to $250 million from seventeen music publishers. The accusers assert that Twitter has facilitated thousands of copyright infringements of songs on their platform.
In a district court filing in Tennessee, The National Music Publishers’ Association (MTPA) alleges, “Twitter fuels its operations with numerous unauthorized copies of musical compositions, infringing upon publishers’ exclusive rights under copyright law.”
The MTPA further accuses Twitter of both enabling and profiting from copyright violations prior to and following its acquisition by Elon Musk in October.
Unlike its social media counterparts including TikTok, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and Snapchat, Twitter hasn’t purchased licenses for music shared on its platform, providing it with what the publishers term as an “unfair advantage.”
The plaintiffs, which comprise major music entities like Universal Music and Sony, are seeking court permission to sue Twitter for up to $150,000 per instance for approximately 1,700 song violations. This includes music from renowned artists like Green Day, Ed Sheeran, and Katy Perry.
Twitter has undergone substantial changes since Elon Musk’s $44 billion takeover last year, including a massive downsizing of about 75% of its workforce and various attempts to generate revenue from the site.
Citing Twitter’s internal research, the MTPA detailed how videos on the platform, often featuring copyrighted music, significantly boost user engagement.
These charges are levelled against Twitter amidst a leadership shake-up, which saw the departures of trust and safety executives Yoel Roth and Ella Irwin, amidst ongoing worries about content moderation on the platform.
