A publisher managing the early works of left-leaning artist Eminem has filed a lawsuit against Meta, claiming the tech giant misused his music.
Eight Mile Style Productions, the company behind Eminem’s early catalog, is taking legal action against Meta for allegedly distributing his songs without proper licensing via Instagram Reels and original audio features.
The lawsuit seeks damages up to $150,000 for each song from every platform involved. It argues that Meta is not authorized to distribute the music of the artist known for “The Real Slim Shady.” Furthermore, Eight Mile Style is also requesting a permanent injunction against any further unauthorized uses, aiming to recover actual damages and lost profits due to this situation.
According to the complaint, Meta has allowed Eminem’s songs to appear in its “Music Libraries,” contributing to user-generated content through features like reels and original audio. This misuse reportedly spans millions of videos and has reached billions of views.
The case is backed by Audiam, Inc., a digital music royalty collection company. It indicates that efforts were made to secure a license, but Eight Mile Style claims they never granted this authority to Audiam.
Meta faces accusations of both “rampant infringement” and “knowing infringement” regarding Eminem’s music. The lawsuit implicates the parent company of Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp, asserting that they have operated without proper licensing for billions of users.
The lawsuit emphasizes that Meta cannot claim protections under the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA) due to their knowledge of this infringement.
While some of Eminem’s songs have been removed from the platform, the lawsuit alleges that Meta still hosts unauthorized covers and instrumental versions.
A spokesperson for Meta mentioned that the company has licensing agreements with numerous global partners and was in good faith negotiations with Eight Mile Style. However, instead of continuing discussions, Eight Mile Style opted to pursue legal action.
This isn’t the first legal challenge faced by Eminem’s publisher this year.
In January, Eight Mile Style filed a suit against a Ford dealership in Michigan for purportedly misusing the song “Lose Yourself” in an advertisement.
Eminem has expressed support for Kamala Harris leading up to the 2024 election, telling an audience, “I think Vice President Harris will advocate for the future of this country, where these freedoms and many others are honored.”
