Yazılar

Meta Accused of Using Pirated Books for AI Training with Zuckerberg’s Approval

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Meta Platforms (META.O) is facing serious allegations from a group of authors, including Ta-Nehisi Coates and comedian Sarah Silverman, who claim that the company used pirated versions of copyrighted books to train its artificial intelligence systems, including the Llama language model. The authors argue that this use was approved by Meta’s CEO, Mark Zuckerberg, according to newly disclosed court documents.

The authors, who filed a lawsuit against Meta in 2023 for copyright infringement, allege that internal Meta documents, produced during the discovery phase of the case, show the company was fully aware that the books it used were pirated. Meta has yet to comment on the allegations.

The lawsuit focuses on Meta’s use of the AI training dataset LibGen, a repository of pirated books that the authors claim was distributed through peer-to-peer torrents. The new evidence presented by the authors suggests that Meta executives, including Zuckerberg, were aware that LibGen’s contents were pirated but chose to proceed with using the dataset. Internal Meta communications reportedly confirm this.

The authors are seeking to update their complaint, asserting that the new evidence strengthens their case for copyright infringement. The suit also brings renewed attention to the ongoing legal battles over the use of copyrighted materials to train AI systems, with defendants arguing that such uses may fall under “fair use” doctrine.

In a previous ruling, U.S. District Judge Vince Chhabria dismissed claims related to copyright infringement and the alleged unlawful stripping of copyright management information (CMI) by Meta’s chatbots. However, during a hearing on Thursday, Chhabria indicated that he would permit the authors to file an amended complaint, despite his doubts about the validity of the fraud and CMI claims.

 

Musk, Bezos, and Zuckerberg to Attend President-elect Trump’s Inauguration

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Tech moguls Elon Musk, Jeff Bezos, and Mark Zuckerberg are set to attend the inauguration of U.S. President-elect Donald Trump on Monday, according to a source familiar with the event’s planning. The CEOs of Tesla, Amazon, and Meta will have prominent seating alongside Trump’s Cabinet nominees and other officials during the swearing-in ceremony, NBC News reported.

Both Amazon and Meta have reportedly contributed $1 million each to support Trump’s inauguration. Elon Musk, CEO of Tesla, SpaceX, and X, played an even larger financial role, spending over $250 million to aid Trump’s election campaign in November. Representatives from Tesla, Amazon, and Meta did not immediately provide comments regarding the event or their executives’ participation.

Their attendance underscores the influence of major tech leaders in the political landscape, despite occasional public disagreements between Trump and some of the tech companies represented.

 

EU is Fully Enforcing Social Media Rules, Says Digital Chief

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The European Commission has reaffirmed its commitment to fully enforcing the rules governing social media and other large online platforms, including the Digital Markets Act (DMA) and the Digital Services Act (DSA). Commission Vice President Henna Virkkunen emphasized on Wednesday that no investigations have been delayed, contrary to some reports suggesting otherwise.

Enforcement of Digital Markets Act and Digital Services Act

Virkkunen addressed concerns over potential delays in cases against major U.S. tech companies such as Apple, Meta, and Google, clarifying that these investigations are still in the technical phase. This phase involves ongoing exchanges with the companies involved, and decisions have not yet been made. She stated, “There haven’t been any delays,” and reassured that the EU is “fully enforcing the DMA and the DSA.”

These acts are designed to ensure a fair and safe online environment, applying antitrust obligations under the DMA and content moderation rules under the DSA. Virkkunen stressed that the acts were powerful tools that applied to all companies, including European firms, operating within the EU. She also highlighted that the DSA protects freedom of speech, contradicting claims that it limits it.

Meta’s Concerns on Censorship

Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg recently criticized the increasing number of laws in Europe, describing them as institutionalizing censorship. In response to these concerns, Zuckerberg also called on U.S. President-elect Donald Trump to take action against the EU’s fines on U.S. tech companies, as Meta ended its U.S. fact-checking programs last week. Zuckerberg’s comments reflect ongoing tensions between European regulators and U.S. tech giants over content moderation and regulatory compliance.