Sony Music Entertainment has filed a copyright infringement lawsuit against the University of Southern California (USC) over unauthorized use of protected music in social media content.

Key Points of the Lawsuit:

• Sony Music identified hundreds of allegedly infringing uploads across various USC accounts
• The infringement primarily involves USC sports teams using protected recordings without proper licenses
• Affected artists include Travis Scott, Elvis, Tate McRae, Future, and Shakira
• The dispute dates back to 2021, with multiple notifications sent to USC
• Violations extend to smaller USC accounts, including rowing team and Sports Performance center

Timeline of Events:

• 2021: Initial notification of infringement
• Early 2023: Additional notifications
• Summer 2024: Further discussions
• August 15, 2024: Parties entered tolling agreement
• January 15, 2025: Agreement expiration

Legal Implications:

• Social platforms' song libraries are cleared for personal use only, not commercial purposes
• USC allegedly continued posting infringing content even after receiving notifications
• Sony Music suggests potential additional litigation involving other record labels and music publishers
• USC has issued a statement contesting the lawsuit, but allegedly infringing content remains online

Similar Cases:

• Marriott International (settled)
• Brinker International (Chili's parent company)
• NBA teams vs. music publishers
• American Hockey League teams copyright dispute

This case joins a growing trend of major music companies taking legal action against organizations using licensed music without proper commercial permissions on social media platforms.

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