French Newspapers Sue X Over Content Usage Without Payment
Several leading French newspapers have initiated legal action against the social media platform X, previously known as Twitter, for allegedly using their content without compensating them. This lawsuit, spearheaded by prominent daily publications like Le Figaro, Les Echos, Le Parisien, and Le Monde, includes several other notable titles such as the cultural magazine Télérama, Courrier International, HuffPost, Malesherbes Publications, and the Nouvel Obs news weekly.
The media outlets assert that X has violated 'neighbouring rights,' which according to a European directive that has been integrated into French law, mandates social media platforms to negotiate compensation when they republish news content. This legal battle highlights the ongoing tensions between traditional media and digital platforms regarding the use of journalistic content.
Previously, the newspapers, alongside the French news agency Agence France-Presse (AFP), sought an emergency injunction against X, claiming that the platform had failed to engage in negotiations over payment for their content. On May 24, a Paris tribunal ruled in favor of the media companies, mandating that X provide commercial data within two months to facilitate an evaluation of the revenue it generates from their content.
However, X has not yet complied with this court order, prompting the newspapers to justify their latest lawsuit as a necessary step in addressing this ongoing non-compliance. France's legal landscape has been vigilant in protecting the rights and revenue streams of its press and news agencies, positioning itself against what many consider the overwhelming influence of major tech firms that often distribute news content through searches and social media feeds without fair compensation.
To address these issues, the European Union implemented neighbouring rights, a form of copyright that allows news media to seek remuneration for their content's use. France has been at the forefront of advocating for these rights within the EU framework and was the first member state to adopt the directive concerning media companies' publishing rights back in 2019. This law requires large tech platforms to engage in negotiations with publishers regarding payment for content usage.
Following initial pushback, tech giants such as Google and Facebook eventually agreed to compensate some French media outlets for displaying their articles in search results.
In March, a representative for X argued that the social media platform does not fall under the neighbouring rights directive, as it primarily relies on user-generated content rather than publishing its own. This stance was brought to attention by the public broadcaster France TV.
Last year, X's owner, Elon Musk, tweeted on the matter concerning AFP, suggesting that it was unreasonable for the agency to expect payment for traffic directed to their site, where they in turn generate advertising revenue.
As this legal dispute unfolds, it underscores the broader issues at play in the evolving relationship between traditional media and digital platforms, as publishers seek to reclaim their rights within the shifting terrain of news dissemination in the digital age.
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