Sony Music Entertainment (SME) has filed a copyright infringement lawsuit against the University of Southern California (USC) over unauthorized use of protected music in social media content.

Key details of the lawsuit:

• SME identified hundreds of allegedly infringing uploads across USC's social media accounts
• Affected content spans multiple sports teams and departments, including rowing and Sports Performance
• Unauthorized music used includes tracks from Travis Scott, Elvis, Tate McRae, Future, and Shakira
• Initial infringement notifications date back to 2021, with subsequent discussions in 2023 and 2024
• USC allegedly continued posting infringing content even after receiving notifications

Timeline of events:

• 2021: First notification of alleged infringement
• Early 2023: Additional notifications and discussions
• Summer 2024: Further discussions
• August 15, 2024: Parties entered agreement to toll statute of limitations
• January 15, 2025: Tolling period ended

Legal implications:

• SME seeks significant damages
• Potential additional litigation from other record labels and music publishers
• Similar cases have been filed against Marriott International, Brinker International, NBA teams, and American Hockey League teams

The core issue centers on social platforms' song libraries being pre-cleared for personal use only, not commercial purposes. While USC has issued a statement contesting the lawsuit, many of the allegedly infringing videos remain accessible online.

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