French news agency AFP has launched a copyright case against social media platform X (formerly Twitter) in a bid to demand fair compensation for news content. Media groups argue that their stories and images add value to platforms like X, Facebook, and Google, and therefore, they should receive a portion of the profits.

A 2019 EU law allowed for payments for sharing content, and Google and Facebook agreed to pay some French media outlets. However, AFP has accused X, owned by Elon Musk, of refusing discussions on neighboring rights. The news agency has filed a lawsuit in Paris seeking data from X to estimate fair compensation. While media groups in France have had some success, tech giants have pushed back, with Meta (parent company of Facebook and Instagram) recently blocking Canadian users from viewing posts from news organizations. Google has threatened to take similar action.

X, as a smaller platform, has not faced the same level of scrutiny. This lawsuit indicates a significant development in the ongoing struggle between traditional media and tech firms over the monetization of news content. The outcome of the case could set a precedent and shape how tech companies engage with media organizations and distribute the value generated by news content.