
French newspapers sue Elon Musk’s X over content payments
By Lauren Taylor (Anchor), Jodie Hawkins (Senior Video Producer), Jack Henry (Video Editor)
Multiple French news organizations sued X, accusing Elon Musk’s social media platform of running their content without paying them. The eight media groups including Le Monde and Le Parisien said X violated what’s known as European neighboring rights, which is a law that requires payment after social media platforms republish news content.
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This new lawsuit comes after another French news outlet, AFP, sued X last week over the same issue.

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All of the newspapers already asked for an emergency injunction against X, but said X failed to negotiate.
In May, a Paris court agreed with the media companies, giving X two months to hand over data that would reveal the income it earns from their content.
But the newspapers said X hasn’t provided the data and is “demonstrating its continued intent to avoid its legal obligations.”
France’s fight for fairer action from tech companies goes back to 2019 when the neighboring rights law went into effect. That was followed by a legal battle with Facebook then ended with a payment agreement in 2021.
Musk hasn’t commented on the recent lawsuits.
[Lauren]
MULTIPLE FRENCH NEWS ORGANIZATIONS ARE SUING “X” – ACCUSING ELON MUSK’S SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORM OF RUNNING THEIR CONTENT WITHOUT PAYING THEM.
THE EIGHT MEDIA GROUPS INCLUDING LE MONDE AND LE PARISIEN SAY “X” IS VIOLATING WHAT’S KNOWN AS EUROPEAN “NEIGHBORING RIGHTS” – WHICH IS A LAW THAT REQUIRES PAYMENT AFTER SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORMS REPUBLISH NEWS CONTENT.
THIS NEW LAWSUIT COMES AFTER ANOTHER FRENCH NEWS OUTLET, A-F-P SUED “X” LAST WEEK OVER THE SAME ISSUE.
ALL OF THE NEWSPAPERS ALREADY ASKED FOR AN EMERGENCY INJUNCTION AGAINST “X”, BUT SAY “X” FAILED TO NEGOTIATE.
IN MAY, A PARIS COURT AGREED WITH THE MEDIA COMPANIES, GIVING “X” TWO MONTHS TO HAND OVER DATA THAT WOULD REVEAL THE INCOME IT EARNS FROM THEIR CONTENT.
BUT THE NEWSPAPERS SAY “X” HAS NOT PROVIDED THE DATA AND IS QUOTE “DEMONSTRATING ITS CONTINUED INTENT TO AVOID ITS LEGAL OBLIGATIONS.”
FRANCE’S FIGHT FOR FAIRER ACTION FROM TECH COMPANIES GOES BACK TO 20-19 WHEN THE “NEIGHBORING RIGHTS” LAW WENT INTO EFFECT, FOLLOWED BY A LEGAL BATTLE WITH FACEBOOK THEN ENDED WITH A PAYMENT AGREEMENT IN 20-21.
ELON HAS NOT COMMENTED ON THE RECENT LAWSUITS.
FOR SAN – I’M LAUREN TAYLOR.
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