Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg Defends Use of Pirated E-Books in AI Training
Meta’s Use of LibGen
Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg appears to have used YouTube’s battle to remove pirated content to defend his own company’s use of a data set containing copyrighted e-books, reveals newly released snippets of a deposition he gave late last year.
Deposition Highlights
During his deposition, Zuckerberg claimed that YouTube may host some pirated content for a period of time, but the company is trying to take it down. He also stated that the vast majority of content on YouTube is good and has the license to do so.
LibGen and Fair Use
Zuckerberg’s deposition provides some clues about his thinking on copyright content and fair use. However, it should be noted that a full transcript of the deposition was not released. TechCrunch has reached out to Meta for additional context and will update the article if the company responds.
LibGen and Meta’s AI Models
LibGen, which describes itself as a "links aggregator," provides access to copyrighted works from publishers including Cengage Learning, Macmillan Learning, McGraw Hill, and Pearson Education. LibGen has been sued a number of times, ordered to shut down, and fined tens of millions of dollars for copyright infringement.
New Allegations
Plaintiffs’ lawyers in the Kadrey v. Meta case have amended the complaint several times since it was filed in United States District Court for the Northern District of California, San Francisco Division in 2023. The latest amended complaint filed by plaintiffs’ counsel late Wednesday contains new allegations against Meta, including that the company cross-referenced certain pirated books in LibGen with copyrighted books available for license.
Conclusion
Zuckerberg’s deposition highlights the ongoing debate over the use of copyrighted content in AI training. While Meta claims that using LibGen is fair use, plaintiffs argue that it is a violation of copyright law. The case is ongoing, and it remains to be seen how the court will rule.
FAQs
Q: What is LibGen?
A: LibGen is a "links aggregator" that provides access to copyrighted works from publishers.
Q: Has LibGen been sued for copyright infringement?
A: Yes, LibGen has been sued a number of times, ordered to shut down, and fined tens of millions of dollars for copyright infringement.
Q: What is the purpose of LibGen?
A: LibGen provides access to copyrighted works for training AI models.
Q: Is Meta’s use of LibGen fair use?
A: Meta claims that using LibGen is fair use, but plaintiffs argue that it is a violation of copyright law.
Q: What is the outcome of the Kadrey v. Meta case?
A: The case is ongoing, and it remains to be seen how the court will rule.
