In a significant legal battle, a coalition of prominent French newspapers has filed a lawsuit against Elon Musk’s X (formerly Twitter) over the platform’s alleged use of their content without paying them. These publications, including Le Figaro, Les Echos, Le Parisien, Le Monde, Courrier International, Huffington Post, and Le Nouvel Obs, are asserting their right to compensation for the distribution of their content on X. This legal action is based on the concept of ancillary rights, which are designed to protect news outlets from unauthorized use of their content by digital platforms.
The French newspapers argue that X, like other social media platforms, benefits significantly from the distribution of their news articles and content, generating substantial traffic and engagement. They maintain that X should fairly compensate them for this use, ensuring the financial sustainability of independent journalism in France. The statement quoted by Reuters emphasizes the importance of these rights for the overall health of the media landscape: “The revenue from these rights, with the investment that it would enable its beneficiaries to make, is a boost to the plurality, independence and quality of the media, which are essential for freedom of expression and the right to information in our democratic society.”
Adding to the legal pressure on X, other French media entities, including the wire agency AFP, have also filed separate lawsuits against the social media platform. This collective action reflects the growing concern among news organizations about the financial impact of content sharing on social media platforms.
The case is scheduled for a hearing in May 2024, and its outcome could have significant implications for the relationship between social media platforms and news organizations globally. It could set a precedent for how platforms like X are expected to engage with news content in the future.
