Issue No. 052 · Story 02 · September 11, 2026
CopyrightWixen Copyright Claims Against Meta Dismissed With Leave to Amend
A California federal judge dismissed Wixen Music Publishing's direct and contributory copyright claims against Meta after finding that Wixen had not adequately alleged its ownership or exclusive rights in the 681 works at issue.
- §Wixen has until September 18 to file a second amended complaint addressing the standing problem.
- §The ruling does not decide whether Meta infringed any work.
- §Wixen's defamation, trade libel, and contract-interference claims remain unresolved while the copyright pleading issue is pending.
- §The court limited any amendment to curing the copyright allegations and barred new parties or claims without permission.
THE TAKEAWAY
The ruling puts chain-of-title detail at the center of a platform licensing dispute. A rights administrator must identify the specific ownership or exclusive licensing interest it holds before the court reaches the infringement allegations.
Source: Music Business Worldwide
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