AFP sued X (former Twitter) to ``pay news usage fee'', Mr. Mask repulsed ``It's a strange story''

Agence France-Presse (AFP), known as one of the world's three major news agencies, sued X (formerly Twitter) for payment of news usage fees based on 'neighboring rights for reporting'.

AFP Takes Legal Action Against Twitter to Enforce News Agencies' and Publishers' Neighboring Rights | AFP.com
https://www.afp.com/en/agency/press-releases-newsletter/afp-takes-legal-action-against-twitter-enforce-news-agencies-and-publishers-neighboring-rights

Musk calls French news agency's copyright case against X “bizarre” [Updated] | Ars Technica
https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2023/08/musk-calls-french-news-agencys-copyright-case-against-x-bizarre/

Agencies and news media, including AFP, have long argued that X, Facebook, Google and others should pay the media a portion of their news revenue. In 2019, the EU Council mandated the 'protection of press publications' in its 'Copyright Regulations in the Digital Environment'. This stipulates that news reported by news agencies and media is subject to protection for one year after it is released, and it is necessary to pay a usage fee.

Copyright rules for the digital environment: Council agrees its position - Consilium
https://www.consilium.europa.eu/en/press/press-releases/2018/05/25/copyright-rules-for-the-digital-environment-council-agrees-its-position/

Following an EU order, Google has agreed to pay news usage fees to the French press in 2021.

Google agrees to pay 'news usage fee' to French press - GIGAZINE

However, AFP said, ``I am concerned that X clearly refuses to participate in discussions on the implementation of copyright related rights for reporting.'' made it clear that he was in denial.

AFP has filed a lawsuit with the Paris Court of Justice to obtain an emergency injunction as a legal means to calculate the royalties for the news that X should pay.

In response to AFP's lawsuit, Musk said, 'This is a strange story. Is AFP trying to make us pay for traffic to sites where AFP gets advertising revenue instead of us? ', showing the attitude that AFP's claims cannot be accepted.

This is bizarre. They want us to pay *them* for traffic to their site where they make advertising revenue and we don't!?

— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) August 3, 2023

AFP said, ``We will continue to adopt appropriate legal measures for each relevant platform to ensure a fair distribution of the value generated by sharing news content.'' The media platform is poised to file a lawsuit as well.

In addition, Facebook has shown strong opposition to Australia and Canada, which require payment of news usage fees, and Canada is taking measures to stop the distribution of news.

Facebook and Instagram stop distributing news in Canada, protest against bill ``divide revenue when news is posted''-GIGAZINE