A federal judge has given the green light for music publishers to proceed with their copyright lawsuit against X Corp., the company behind the social media platform formerly known as Twitter.
In a ruling issued on Tuesday (Mar. 5), Judge Aleta A. Trauger dismissed certain aspects of the case but allowed core allegations to advance, particularly focusing on X’s alleged facilitation of illegal behavior by its users.
Twitter’s Alleged Inaction Under Scrutiny:
Judge Trauger highlighted allegations that Twitter enabled illicit actions by users, notably those who had obtained “verified” status, which purportedly granted them leniency in infringing copyright.
According to the ruling, this alleged practice of allowing users to purchase a level of immunity from consequences potentially implicates Twitter in promoting copyright infringement.
Stakes and Legal Arguments:
The lawsuit, filed by numerous music publishers in June, claims that platform users infringed on over 1,700 songs, including works by artists such as Taylor Swift and Beyoncé. If proven, this could result in damages amounting to $255 million for X Corp.
The case was brought forth by the National Music Publishers’ Association, which asserts that Twitter is the only major social media platform refusing to license music.
Twitter had sought to dismiss the lawsuit, arguing that social media platforms are not directly liable for users’ copyright infringement. While Judge Trauger agreed with some of Twitter’s arguments, she allowed certain claims to proceed, including those related to alleged inaction against users who repeatedly posted infringing content and delays in responding to takedown notices from copyright owners.
Future Legal Maneuvers and Industry Response:
While the ruling did not address the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA), a federal law providing immunity to platforms like Twitter under certain conditions, X Corp.’s legal team is expected to raise this aspect in subsequent stages of the case.
The National Music Publishers’ Association expressed satisfaction with the ruling, emphasizing their commitment to securing fair compensation for songwriters and music publishers affected by piracy on the platform.
An attorney representing X Corp. did not provide comment following the ruling.