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AFP sues Musk’s X for refusing to enter news reuse payment talks on August 3, 2023 at 9:07 am

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Elon Musk-owned X, formerly Twitter, is facing legal action brought under copyright law in France. The Agence France-Presse (AFP) news agency has announced that it’s suing the social media platform over what it calls a “clear refusal” to enter into discussions with it about remuneration for the sharing of its news content on X.

AFP said it’s seeking an urgent injunction from a court in Paris to compel X to provide it with the necessary information on reuse of its content so it can calculate how much money it is due under France’s neighboring rights legislation.

“[AFP] has expressed its concerns over the clear refusal from Twitter (recently rebranded as ‘X’) to enter into discussions regarding the implementation of neighbouring rights for the press. These rights were established to enable news agencies and publishers to be remunerated by digital platforms which retain most of the monetary value generated by the distribution of news content,” the news agency wrote in a press release.

“Today, AFP announces that it has taken legal action to obtain an urgent injunction before the Judicial Court of Paris. This move is aimed at compelling Twitter, in accordance with the law, to provide all the necessary elements required for assessing the remuneration owed to AFP under the neighbouring rights legislation.”

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“As a leading advocate for the adoption of neighbouring rights for the press, AFP remains unwavering in its commitment to the cause, even four years after the law’s adoption,” AFP added. “The legal proceedings initiated against Twitter today are in line with this ongoing commitment. The Agency will continue to employ the appropriate legal means with each relevant platform to ensure the fair distribution of the value generated by the sharing of news content.”

The extension of copyright law to cover excerpts of news content being reshared on digital platforms was agreed by the European Union back in 2019 and transposed into French law in July of the same year. But apparently Musk never got the memo. (Tbf, he was probably a bit more focused on building electric cars, firing rockets into space, digging big holes in the ground and trolling people on Twitter back then… )

The extension to EU copyright law covers all but the shortest snippets of news content which are shared on digital platforms, such as article extracts. It isn’t limited to text either — also covering other content produced by news publishers, such as photographs, videos and infographics. News publishers’ content is covered for two years after its publication date.

Writing on X in a response to news of AFP’s lawsuit being shared on X he wrote: “This is bizarre. They want us to pay *them* for traffic to their site where they make advertising revenue and we don’t!?”

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Search giant Google has previously fallen foul of France’s neighboring rights legislation — after the national antitrust authority got involved following complaints by a number of publishers (including AFP) that it was failing to fairly negotiate with news publishers about payments for reuse of their content.

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That antitrust probe led on to the competition authority issuing Google with a fine of over half a billion dollars a little over two years ago. Google subsequently settled the dispute by offering a set of behavioral commitments over how it would negotiation with publishers. And went on to ink multi-year deals with AFP and other publishers to pay them for reuse of their content.

In X’s case a complaint it’s flouting the neighbouring rights law seems less likely to trigger an intervention from the competition authority given how — unlike Google — the Musk-owned social media platform does not hold a dominant position in general search services. (Or even, arguably, in social media, where a number of rival platforms, including Facebook, Instagram and TikTok, have far more users.)

Google had also sought to directly circumvent the law’s requirement to negotiate licensing terms with publishers by announcing it would no longer display any of their news snippets across products such as Google Search and Google News unless they granted it free reuse of their content.

That unilateral attempt to escape the law’s effect triggered a swift response from the competition authority for suspected abuse of a dominant position — including issuing Google with an interim order barring it from stopping displaying publishers’ news and mandating it enter into discussions about remuneration.

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The EU is not the only region where digital platforms are legally required to enter talks with publishers to remunerate for news reuse. Australia passed a news bargaining code targeting Google and Facebook back in 2021. While Canada’s parliament recently passed the Online News Act, which also requires tech platforms negotiate with publishers in order to establish “fair revenue sharing” over their content.

However in the latter case Meta and Google continue to lobby against the measure and have suggested they will end news availability in Canada, rather than comply with the law.

Google drops appeal against €500M antitrust news licensing fine

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​ Elon Musk-owned X, formerly Twitter, is facing legal action brought under copyright law in France. The Agence France-Presse (AFP) news agency has announced that it’s suing the social media platform over what it calls a “clear refusal” to enter into discussions with it about remuneration for the sharing of its news content on X. AFP 

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Terror Attacks in New Orleans and Las Vegas Linked

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The start of 2025 has been marred by two horrific terror attacks in the United States, one in New Orleans and another in Las Vegas, both occurring on New Year’s Day. These incidents have left communities reeling and have raised concerns about potential connections between the suspects involved.

In New Orleans, a truck driven by 42-year-old Shamsud-Din Jabbar plowed into a crowd celebrating on Bourbon Street, resulting in at least 15 deaths and over 30 injuries. Eyewitnesses reported that Jabbar, a U.S. Army veteran from Texas, deliberately targeted pedestrians while flying an ISIS flag from his vehicle. Following the attack, he exited the truck armed with an assault rifle and opened fire on police officers before being killed in the ensuing confrontation. Authorities discovered improvised explosive devices (IEDs) within his vehicle and in the vicinity of the attack site, further confirming the premeditated nature of this act of terrorism.

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Simultaneously, a separate incident unfolded in Las Vegas when a Tesla Cybertruck exploded outside the Trump International Hotel. The driver, identified as Matthew Livelsberger, also had a military background and was reported to have detonated the vehicle packed with firework mortars and fuel, resulting in his death and injuring seven others. Investigators are exploring whether Livelsberger and Jabbar had any prior connection, as both men served at the same military base at different times.

While the FBI has confirmed that they are investigating both attacks as acts of terrorism, they have not established a definitive link between the two incidents. However, similarities in their execution—both suspects rented vehicles from the same company—have prompted further scrutiny into their backgrounds and any potential accomplices.

As investigations continue, authorities are urging anyone with information about either suspect to come forward. The tragic events have sparked discussions about security measures in public spaces, particularly as cities prepare for large gatherings in the coming months.

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Politics

Donald Trump Named TIME’s 2024 Person of the Year

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Donald Trump has been selected as TIME magazine’s Person of the Year for 2024, marking his second time receiving this distinction. The former president, who won a historic comeback victory in the 2024 election, was chosen for his significant impact on global affairs and American politics.

TIME editor-in-chief Sam Jacobs explained the decision, citing Trump’s “comeback of historic proportions,” his role in driving “a once-in-a-generation political realignment,” and his reshaping of both the American presidency and the country’s global role. This recognition comes after Trump’s unprecedented achievement of reclaiming the White House after losing reelection four years earlier.

The selection process involved an extensive interview with Trump at Mar-a-Lago in November, covering a wide range of topics including the economy, foreign policy, and his plans for a second term. Notably, TIME took the unprecedented step of publishing a comprehensive fact-check alongside the interview transcript, examining 15 distinct assertions made by Trump.

Trump’s relationship with TIME has been tumultuous over the years. While he expressed honor at receiving the title in 2016, he has also criticized the magazine’s selections and even claimed he refused a potential Person of the Year offer in 2017. Despite this, Trump participated in the process this year, granting TIME access for an in-depth interview.

To commemorate the announcement, Trump rang the opening bell at the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE). This event marked a significant moment in Trump’s career, as it was his first time participating in this Wall Street tradition.

Trump’s selection as Person of the Year reflects his continued influence on American politics and his ability to reshape the political landscape. As the country prepares for his return to the White House, all eyes will be on how Trump’s second term might further impact both domestic and international affairs.

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Film Industry

Jay-Z Denies Allegations Amid Lawsuit

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Jay-Z, the renowned rapper and music mogul, faces serious allegations in a recently amended civil lawsuit. According to ABC News and NBC News, the suit accuses him and Sean “Diddy” Combs of raping a 13-year-old girl at an MTV Video Music Awards after-party in 2000.

The lawsuit, initially filed in October 2024, was updated on Sunday to include Jay-Z as a defendant alongside Combs. The plaintiff, identified only as “Jane Doe,” claims she was assaulted after being driven to the party following the awards show.

Jay-Z, whose real name is Shawn Carter, vehemently denies the allegations. He released a statement on X calling the lawsuit a “blackmail attempt” and questioning why it was filed as a civil case rather than a criminal one. The rapper expressed concern about the impact on his family, stating he and his wife Beyoncé would need to discuss the situation with their children.

Combs, who is currently in federal custody on separate charges, has also denied the accusations through his attorneys. The lawsuit alleges that an unidentified female celebrity was present during the incident but did not intervene.

The case has garnered significant media attention, with both artists’ reputations at stake. As the legal process unfolds, the music industry and public await further developments in this high-profile case.

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