French newspapers to sue Elon Musk’s X over copyright violations

Several of France’s largest newspapers including Le Monde, Le Figaro, and Le Parisien are taking legal action against the social media platform X.
The newspapers claim that network, owned by the billionaire Elon Musk, has been using their content without paying, in violation of ancillary rights under French law.
Ancillary rights, introduced by a European directive and incorporated into French law, require digital platforms to compensate news publishers when redistributing their content.
These laws have previously led tech giants like Meta Platforms, which owns Facebook, and the Alphabet-owned Google to negotiate and establish payments to French media outlets.
However, the newspapers allege that X has refused to open similar negotiations and has failed to comply with a court order from the Palace of Justice in Paris. In May, the court mandated that X disclose information to facilitate calculations for compensation owed to the news publishers.
This data would help the newspapers estimate the financial value of their distributed content on the platform. According to the plaintiffs, this has delayed their ability to secure revenue essential for “supporting the media’s role in democratic society”.
Le Parisien is part of LVMH, the luxury empire owned by Bernard Arnault, Europe’s richest man who also owns Les Echos, a business daily.
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The newspapers said in a joint statement: “The revenue from these rights, with the investment that it would enable its beneficiaries to make, is a boost to the plurality, independence, and quality of the media, which are essential for freedom of expression and the right to information in our democratic society.”
The coalition of French media outlets includes Télérama, Courrier International, Huffington Post, Malesherbes Publications, and Le Nouvel Obs, in addition to the major dailies.
They have now escalated the issue to the Paris tribunal, with a hearing set for May 15, 2025, to address X’s alleged copyright violations.
X did not immediately respond to requests for comment on the matter. The outcome of the case could have wider implications for digital platforms’ responsibilities toward content creators and the sustainability of news media in France.