A number of commenters asserted that AI is exploitative, in a word, trained on the works of creatives who aren’t compensated for their involuntary contributions, and petitioned the Trump administration to strengthen copyright regulation. On the opposing side, commenters such as VC firm Andreessen Horowitz accused rightsholders of putting up roadblocks to AI development.
Source: Public comments to White House on AI policy touch on copyright, tariffs | TechCrunch
Hollywood leans on a network of trade groups and associations representing various segments of the business. These include unions, guilds and professional organizations that advocate and promote the interests of its members. Threats to revoke tax-exemptions for trade groups and nonprofits in the entertainment industry could be used as a bartering chip for the administration to get what it wants.
Publishers have welcomed a ruling that should make it easier for them to make money from apps when operating in EU countries. Apple has 60 days to comply with a ruling under the EU Digital Markets Act which was accompanied with a €500m fine for abusing its dominant market position when it comes to the distribution and monetization of apps in its store.
Source: EU’s €500m fine of Apple and enforcement action is good news for publishers
The European Commission confirms that it has accepted requests submitted by Austria and the Netherlands to assess the proposed acquisition of Downtown by UMG under the EU Merger Regulation (EMMR). According to the official announcement from the EC on Friday (April 25): “The proposed transaction does not reach the turnover thresholds set out in the EUMR and therefore was not notified to the Commission.
Source: Confirmed: European competition regulator to assess UMG’s $775m acquisition of Downtown Music
The MPA and RIAA want to have their say in a crucial third-party Ninth Circuit appeal about the use of DMCA subpoenas against alleged online pirates. Fearing a ruling that could limit their enforcement options, the groups requested speaking time at an upcoming hearing. This intervention, as well as previous commentary from the EFF, which is backed by a new party, underscores the high-stakes nature of the case.
Source: MPA and RIAA Want to be Heard in Crucial DMCA Subpoena Appeal * TorrentFreak
Apple was fined 500 million euros ($570 million) and Meta was fined €200 million ($230 million) for breaking the Digital Markets Act, which was adopted in 2022. The European law aims to keep big tech companies from abusing their position as digital gatekeepers that can unilaterally impose requirements on users and businesses.
Source: Apple and Meta Are First to Be Hit by E.U. Digital Competition Law
The UK Government’s proposal to allow AI companies to automatically train their models on online content unless the rightsholder specifically opts out has been described as “unworkable”. A range of responses to the Government consultation on its proposed change to the existing copyright regime have been published, with many slamming the potential effect on the media industry.
Source: ‘Unsustainable status quo’: AI companies and publishers respond to Govt copyright consultation
Asked on Thursday’s earnings call about the current worldwide economic uncertainty, which for lay people means President Trump’s tariffs, Netflix co-CEO Greg Peters acknowledged he is “playing close attention, clearly, to the consumer sentiment and where the broader economy is moving.” Not that he and his fellow co-CEO Ted Sarandos are worried.
Source: Netflix Is “Paying Close Attention” to Tariffs Talk, But Believes It’s “Less Exposed” Than Others
A recession now could be the thing that pushes linear TV off the edge. “Given the ongoing secular headwinds facing the linear TV ecosystem, we worry that television could mirror the fate of radio and newspapers during past recessions,” MoffettNathanson’s Michael Nathanson wrote in an April 9 report, adding that $45 billion in ad revenue could be lost in a recessionary situation.
Source: Volatility Bites: Why Hollywood Is Terrified of Tariffs
The last time the courts seriously weighed the wisdom of breaking up a giant technology company was a quarter-century ago, after Microsoft was found to have illegally stifled competition in personal computer software. A Federal District Court judge said yes to forcing Microsoft to split in two. But an appeals court threw out the order, calling the breakup option “a remedy that is imposed only with great caution, in part because its long-term efficacy is rarely certain.”
Source: Why Antitrust Breakups of Google and Meta Could Be Difficult