Meta loses early bid to dismiss Swedish music label’s copyright lawsuit

SummaryCompaniesLaw firmsRelated documentsEpidemic Sound mentioned Meta unlawfully distributed a whole lot of tracksCourt rejects Meta argument that Epidemic did not element “fundamental info”

(Reuters) – A San Francisco federal decide on Monday denied a request by Meta Platforms Inc to throw out a lawsuit filed by a Swedish music label that claims Meta infringed hundreds of its copyrights by means of Fb and Instagram.

Meta didn’t present that Epidemic Sound AB’s allegations had been too speculative to assist its criticism, a San Francisco federal courtroom mentioned Monday.

Representatives for the businesses didn’t instantly reply to requests for remark.

Epidemic mentioned it owns and distributes greater than 38,000 items of royalty-free music for creators to make use of in movies, podcasts and different content material. Epidemic sued Meta in July for allegedly reproducing at the least 950 tracks in its music library for Fb and Instagram customers to obtain, stream and incorporate into movies with out the label’s permission.

Epidemic requested at the least $142 million in damages from Meta for allegedly distributing its music by means of “hundreds of thousands” of consumer movies which have been seen “billions” of occasions.

Meta informed the courtroom in September that the lawsuit needs to be dismissed as a result of Epidemic had not recognized “even a single allegedly infringing copy” of its music “on a Meta property,” and had not included different “fundamental info” concerning the supposed violations.

However U.S. District Decide Jacqueline Scott Corley denied Meta’s movement on Monday, discovering Epidemic’s criticism was detailed sufficient to justify persevering with the case.

The case is Epidemic Sound AB v. Meta Platforms Inc, U.S. District Courtroom for the Northern District of California, No. 3:22-cv-04223.

For Epidemic: Ilene Farkas and Mona Simonian of Pryor Cashman; and Adam Cashman and Evan Budaj of Singer Cashman

For Meta: Joe Wetzel and Alli Stillman of Latham & Watkins

Learn extra:

Lawsuit says Meta stole a whole lot of songs from Swedish music label

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Blake Brittain

Thomson Reuters

Blake Brittain stories on mental property regulation, together with patents, logos, copyrights and commerce secrets and techniques. Attain him at [email protected]