Google says in a new court filing that YouTube’s terms of service grant a “broad license” for artificial intelligence models to be trained on music uploaded directly to the platform. This argument came in Google’s Monday (June 8) motion to dismiss copyright infringement litigation filed earlier this year by a group of independent artists, songwriters and producers.
Source: YouTube Terms of Service Allow AI Music Training, Google Says in Copyright Lawsuit
ASCAP has filed copyright infringement lawsuits against four US radio groups that it says have broadcast its members’ music without a valid license. The performing rights organization said on Tuesday (June 9) that the four groups operate a total of 15 radio stations. The defendants are Haugo Broadcasting Inc. in South Dakota, Spoon River Media, LLC in Indiana, Taylor Communications in Mississippi, and Barry Lunderville Radio in New Hampshire.
Source: ASCAP sues four radio groups for ‘prolonged unauthorized use of its members’ music
The European Commission on Wednesday published the Code of Practice on marking and labelling artificial intelligence (AI)-generated content, setting out voluntary measures to help providers and deployers comply with transparency requirements under the EU AI Act. The transparency obligations will become applicable on Aug. 2, requiring clear labelling of AI-generated or AI-manipulated content in specific cases, according to a statement.
Source: EU publishes code of practice for labelling AI-generated content
The American Federation of Musicians of the United States and Canada (AFM), which has 70,000 members, said Universal Music Group and Warner Music Group “received significant compensation” from the AI companies for past copyright violations and licensed “substantial” portions of their music catalogs to them, but haven’t shared that with the musicians.
Source: Musicians shortchanged by AI deals with labels, lawsuit alleges
A coalition of 227 rights organizations worldwide has called on France‘s National Assembly to pass a bill that would establish a legal presumption that AI companies have used copyrighted works to train their systems. The Darcos bill would insert a presumption into the French Intellectual Property Code that AI providers have used copyrighted works, unless they can prove otherwise.
Source: 220+ rights orgs worldwide urge France’s National Assembly to adopt AI training bill
Musicians, including Katy Perry and Billy Joel, sent a petition earlier this year to the U.S. Copyright Office to amend the Digital Millennium Copyright Act. Now there’s an open letter to Congress signed by stars like Paul McCartney, Taylor Swift and U2 expressing a similar sentiment. Music labels like Sony Music and Universal Music Group have also endorsed the letter, which will be featured in ads on political websites like Politico and The Hill.
The Government of Canada has directed the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) to review its decision requiring large audiovisual streaming services to devote 15% of their domestic revenue to Canadian content. It will invest CAD $600 million (USD $432m) per year in the country’s audio and audiovisual sectors instead.
Source: Canada walks back plan to make US streamers pay a bigger Canadian-content levy
At present, the Register of Copyrights is appointed by the Librarian of Congress and answers to that office. H.R. 6028 would break that link. The bill would remove the US Copyright Office from the Library of Congress‘s supervisory authority. The Register would instead be nominated by the President and confirmed by the Senate, serving a term of 10 years with the option of reappointment.
Source: A bill moving through Congress could change who controls the US Copyright Office
The CMA hopes this will give publishers greater leverage in content deals with Google, by forcing the company to seek permission to use their intellectual property. The CMA will wait to see how its first wave of interventions pan out before it decides whether to act further. This announcement at least signals a direction of travel.
Source: What do UK watchdog’s new rules on Google AI results mean for publishers?
The US Register of Copyrights has continued the designation of The Mechanical Licensing Collective (The MLC) as the statutory collective responsible for administering the blanket compulsory mechanical license for eligible streaming and download services in the United States. The decision follows the Register‘s first periodic review of The MLC‘s designation, as required by the Music Modernization Act (MMA).
Source: Copyright Office reups The MLC’s designation as the statutory Mechanical Licensing Collective