Eminem takes on Meta in R2 billion copyright lawsuit

American rap icon Eminem is taking Meta Platforms, owners of Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp to court in a massive copyright battle that could cost the tech giant over R2 billion.

Eminem’s publishing company, Eight Mile Style, filed a lawsuit accusing Meta of unlawfully using 243 of his songs without permission.

According to court papers dated May 30 and seen by E! News, the rapper (real name Marshall Mathers) alleges that Meta allowed the “unauthorised storage, reproduction and exploitation” of his music across its platforms.

The lawsuit specifically points fingers at features like Reels and Original Audio, claiming these tools encourage users to use music including Eminem’s without proper licensing or credit.

Now, the multi-Grammy Award-winner is demanding financial compensation for what he calls the theft of his creative work. He’s asking for either lost profits and damages from Meta’s earnings or the maximum statutory damages of $150,000 (about R2.1 million) for each track, which adds up to more than $109 million (around R2.05 billion).

This case could set a major precedent in how social media platforms handle copyrighted content in the age of user-generated video.

Meta's music copyright policy allows users to use licensed music from its Sound Collection or other licensed music. Still, it prohibits the use of unlicensed music for commercial or non-personal purposes.

"If you post content that contains music owned by someone else, your content may be reviewed by the applicable rights owner and your content may be blocked, muted or removed if your use of that music is not properly authorized," reads Meta's Music Guidelines.

Universal Music Group's music has returned to TikTok, following a comprehensive licensing agreement announced last year. This multi-faceted deal is designed to benefit UMG's artists, songwriters, and labels worldwide.

Leveraging TikTok's advanced technology and marketing resources, the partnership aims to provide enhanced compensation for UMG's creators. Additionally, it will create new avenues for promoting recordings and songs and implement strong protections regarding generative AI.

IOL Entertainment