French news agency, Agence France-Presse (AFP), has taken legal action against Elon Musk’s platform, X, alleging that it has refused to engage in discussions regarding compensation for news distribution. AFP filed a lawsuit in Paris with the aim of compelling X to provide the necessary information to accurately calculate fair payment for the sharing of AFP’s content.
This lawsuit is rooted in a law implemented by the European Union in 2019, which mandates online platforms to negotiate remuneration with publishers for news distribution. Various news organizations have been advocating for platforms such as X, Meta, and Google to share the profits generated from hosting their content.
Just last month, Canada passed a law that requires large internet platforms to compensate news publishers, prompting Meta to restrict access to news for users in Canada. Alphabet, the parent company of Google, also found itself signing an agreement with French publishers last year, as a result of being fined for failing to engage in negotiations for content payment.
Elon Musk, in response to AFP’s lawsuit, criticized the news agency, claiming that they are seeking compensation from X for the traffic it drives to their website, where they earn revenue through advertisements. Despite Musk’s criticism, X has yet to respond to the lawsuit.
The dispute between AFP and X highlights the ongoing tension between news organizations and online platforms regarding fair compensation for the distribution of news content. This legal battle also adds to the growing number of cases globally where regulators and publishers are pushing for platforms to financially support the news industry.
As the lawsuit unfolds, many will be watching to see how it could potentially impact the relationship between news agencies and online platforms, as well as set a precedent for future negotiations and compensatory measures.
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