What’s at Stake in the Dismissal of Wixen’s Lawsuit Against Meta — And Why It Refiled Its Complaint (Guest Column)
Meta will soon have to face the only question that matters: whether it can use songwriters' work without paying for it.
In the dismissal of Wixen's lawsuit against Meta, a significant issue lies in the interpretation of who holds the rights to the music. Meta's initial motion claimed it had a license, but it didn't address the ownership of the songs or the rights it held. The judge did not dismiss the case outright, instead requesting a detailed analysis of the ownership and rights for each song.
This pleading exercise was similar to one in a previous case against Triller, which proceeded despite the Ninth Circuit rule stating that a publishing administrator must have full control over a song to bring a claim. Wixen and other songwriters disagreed with this rule, as it would allow Meta to use songs for free when multiple publishers are involved.
The case is still ongoing, with discovery currently underway, and it's expected to reveal more instances of songs being used without a license.
Written by urgent.news from Billboard's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
