Litigation Initiated Against Meta Platforms Regarding Alleged Copyright Infringement in AI Training

Meta Platforms 因涉嫌在 AI 訓練中侵犯版權而面臨訴訟

May 5, 2026, 21:13
USTechnology

Introduction

A class-action lawsuit has been filed in the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York by several major publishing houses and author Scott Turow against Meta and CEO Mark Zuckerberg.

數家大型出版社與作者 Scott Turow 已在紐約南區美國地方法院對 Meta 及其執行長 Mark Zuckerberg 提起集體訴訟。

Main Body

The plaintiffs, comprising Elsevier, Cengage, Hachette, Macmillan, and McGraw Hill, allege that Meta systematically misappropriated millions of copyrighted texts and academic journals to develop its Llama language models. The complaint asserts that Meta utilized datasets from unauthorized repositories, including LibGen and Anna's Archive, and the Common Crawl dataset. It is further alleged that Mark Zuckerberg personally authorized the cessation of licensing negotiations in April 2023 to facilitate a 'fair use' legal strategy, thereby bypassing established licensing markets.

原告包括 Elsevier、Cengage、Hachette、Macmillan 及 McGraw Hill，指控 Meta 系統性地挪用數百萬份受版權保護的文本和學術期刊，以開發其 Llama 語言模型。起訴書主張 Meta 使用了來自未經授權儲存庫的數據集，包括 LibGen、Anna's Archive 以及 Common Crawl 數據集。此外，指控 Mark Zuckerberg 本人在 2023 年 4 月授權停止授權談判，以利於採取「合理使用」的法律策略，從而繞過既定的授權市場。

Evidence cited in the filing suggests that Llama can produce verbatim or near-verbatim reproductions of protected works, such as James Stewart's 'Calculus: Early Transcendentals,' and can emulate the specific stylistic signatures of authors. The plaintiffs seek statutory damages, a permanent injunction against further use of the materials, and the destruction of all infringing copies. The class potentially encompasses all owners of registered copyrights for works possessing an ISBN, DOI, or ISSN.

訴狀中引用的證據表明，Llama 能逐字或近乎逐字地複製受保護作品，例如 James Stewart 的《Calculus: Early Transcendentals》，並能模仿作者的特定風格特徵。原告尋求法定損害賠償、禁止進一步使用該材料的永久禁制令，以及銷毀所有侵權副本。此集體訴訟可能涵蓋所有擁有 ISBN、DOI 或 ISSN 註冊版權之作品的所有者。

Meta's institutional position, articulated by company spokespeople, maintains that the training of artificial intelligence on copyrighted data constitutes 'fair use,' characterizing the process as a driver of transformative innovation. This legal tension is mirrored in broader industry trends; while Judge Vince Chhabria previously granted summary judgment to Meta in a separate author-led suit due to insufficient evidence of market harm, Anthropic recently entered into a $1.5 billion settlement with a class of authors following a judicial determination that the use of pirated materials without compensation was impermissible.

Meta 的官方立場由公司發言人闡述，堅持認為利用受版權保護的數據訓練人工智慧構成「合理使用」，並將此過程描述為轉化創新的驅動力。這種法律緊張局勢也反映在更廣泛的行業趨勢中；雖然法官 Vince Chhabria 先前在另一場由作者發起的訴訟中，因缺乏市場損害證據而給予 Meta 簡易判決，但 Anthropic 最近在法院判定未經補償使用盜版資料是不允許的之後，與一組作者達成了 15 億美元的和解協議。

Conclusion

The judiciary must now determine whether Meta's data acquisition practices constitute permissible fair use or actionable copyright infringement.

司法機關現在必須判定 Meta 的數據獲取行為究竟構成允許的「合理使用」，還是可被起訴的版權侵犯。

Vocabulary Learning

⚖️ The Architecture of Legal Precision: Nominalization & Static Verbs

To bridge the gap from B2 to C2, one must move beyond 'action-oriented' storytelling and master nominalization—the process of turning verbs and adjectives into nouns to create an objective, authoritative, and detached tone. This text is a masterclass in de-personalizing agency to maximize professional gravity.

🔍 The Linguistic Pivot

Observe the shift from an active narrative to a structural one:

  • B2 approach: "Meta took millions of texts without asking, and they want to use them for AI training."
  • C2 approach: "...allege that Meta systematically misappropriated millions of copyrighted texts..."

By using misappropriated (a high-precision legal term) and framing the sentence around the allegation rather than the action, the writer moves from a simple accusation to a formal legal claim.

🛠️ Anatomizing the 'C2 Syntactic Cluster'

Look at this specific phrase:

"...authorized the cessation of licensing negotiations... to facilitate a 'fair use' legal strategy..."

Breakdown of Sophistication:

  1. The Nominal Chain: Instead of saying "stopped negotiating" (Verb →\rightarrow Gerund), the text uses "the cessation of... negotiations" (Noun →\rightarrow Preposition →\rightarrow Noun). This creates a 'static' quality that feels like a formal record rather than a story.
  2. Precision Verbs: Facilitate replaces help or make possible. At C2, verbs must be surgically precise. To 'facilitate' a strategy is to provide the means for its success, implying a calculated intent.
  3. The 'Agentless' Passive: "...is mirrored in broader industry trends". This allows the writer to connect two disparate events (the Meta suit and the Anthropic settlement) without needing a human subject to perform the action of 'mirroring.'

🚀 Implementation Blueprint

To replicate this, replace your 'action' verbs with their 'state' counterparts:

B2 (Active/Simple)C2 (Nominalized/Academic)Effect
They decided to stop...The cessation of...Increases formality and objectivity
Because they used pirated data...Following a determination that the use of pirated materials was...Shifts focus from the actor to the legal fact
This shows that...This constitutes...Establishes a definitive, categorical link

Vocabulary Learning

misappropriated (v.)
to unlawfully take or use something that belongs to someone else
Example:The defendants were found to have misappropriated millions of copyrighted texts.
datasets (n.)
collections of data, often organized for analysis
Example:The lawsuit cited the use of large datasets from unauthorized repositories.
repositories (n.)
places where data or information is stored and maintained
Example:The complaint mentioned unauthorized repositories such as LibGen.
bypass (v.)
to circumvent or avoid an established process or rule
Example:The strategy involved bypassing established licensing markets.
verbatim (adj.)
in exactly the same words; word‑for‑word
Example:The model can produce verbatim reproductions of the original text.
near-verbatim (adj.)
almost word‑for‑word; very close to an exact copy
Example:The outputs were near‑verbatim copies of the original works.
reproductions (n.)
copies or representations of a work
Example:The court examined the reproductions for infringement.
emulate (v.)
to imitate or replicate the style or function of something
Example:The AI can emulate the specific stylistic signatures of authors.
statutory (adj.)
relating to a law enacted by a legislative body
Example:The plaintiffs seek statutory damages for the infringement.
injunction (n.)
a court order that requires or prohibits specific actions
Example:The court granted a permanent injunction against further use.
infringing (adj.)
violating or breaching a law or right
Example:The copies were deemed infringing.
registered (adj.)
officially recorded or documented
Example:The class encompasses all owners of registered copyrights.
transformative (adj.)
creating something new or different by adding new meaning or value
Example:The training of AI is described as a driver of transformative innovation.
tension (n.)
a state of mental or emotional strain
Example:The legal tension is mirrored in industry trends.
summary (adj.)
concise; brief
Example:The judge granted summary judgment to Meta.
judgment (n.)
a formal decision or opinion made by a court
Example:The court issued a judgment in favor of the plaintiffs.
settlement (n.)
an agreement reached to resolve a dispute
Example:The parties reached a settlement of $1.5 billion.
impermissible (adj.)
not allowed or not permitted
Example:Using pirated materials without compensation was impermissible.
acquisition (n.)
the act of obtaining or gaining possession
Example:Data acquisition practices were scrutinized.
practice (n.)
an established way of doing something
Example:The company's practice of data mining was challenged.
permissible (adj.)
allowed or acceptable
Example:The use was deemed permissible under fair use.
actionable (adj.)
capable of being acted upon legally
Example:The infringement is actionable under copyright law.
infringement (n.)
the violation of a legal right
Example:The lawsuit alleges copyright infringement.
class-action (adj.)
relating to a lawsuit brought by a group of people
Example:The lawsuit was a class‑action against Meta.
insufficient (adj.)
not enough or inadequate
Example:Evidence of market harm was insufficient.
market (n.)
a place where goods or services are bought and sold
Example:Market harm was a key factor in the judgment.
harm (n.)
damage or injury
Example:The plaintiffs claimed substantial harm to their sales.
driver (n.)
something that causes or promotes a particular result
Example:The process is a driver of innovation.
broader (adj.)
more extensive or encompassing
Example:Broader industry trends reflect similar tensions.
industry (n.)
a sector of economic activity
Example:The industry is adapting to new AI regulations.
trends (n.)
patterns of change over time
Example:Current trends show increased litigation.
judge (n.)
a public official who presides over court proceedings
Example:Judge Vince Chhabria ruled in favor of Meta.
evidence (n.)
information or facts that support a claim
Example:Evidence was presented to support the claim.
compensation (n.)
payment or reward for loss or injury
Example:Authors demanded compensation for unauthorized use.
Practice C2 words in a crossword→
Litigation Initiated Against Meta Platforms Regarding Alleged Copyright Infringement in AI Training (C2) - A2Z News | A2Z News