Several notable authors, such as Richard Osman, Ishiguro River, Kate Moss, and Val McDermid, have endorsed an open letter urging the UK government to hold Meta accountable for using copyrighted books in training artificial intelligence.
The letter calls on Lisa Nandi, Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sports, to summon senior Meta officials before Congress.
McDermid explained her support for the letter, stating, “If a third party uses an author’s work, they are contractually obligated to compensate us. Whether it’s adaptation, translation, or copying, they must compensate us for enabling our work.”
She added, “As a crime writer, I recognize theft when I see it, and by using pirated material, Meta is stealing from us twice.”
In early 2025, a court filing revealed that Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg acknowledged approving the use of Libgen, a notorious “Shadow Library” with over 7.5 million books. An investigation on March 20th found that many authors discovered their works were used to train Meta’s AI models without consent.
The letter contends that this constitutes a “clear violation” of copyright law and highlights the challenges authors face when trying to hold large corporations like Meta accountable.
Kate Moss emphasized the impact on writers, stating, “For those who make a living through their creativity, this is another David and Goliath moment. Copyright laws exist for a reason, and this blatant theft must stop. Fairness is key.”
The Society of Authors (SOA) published this statement as a petition on Change.org, garnering nearly 5,000 signatures.
After the newsletter promotion
The letter urges the government to “take all necessary actions to protect authors’ rights, interests, and livelihoods,” warning of dire consequences if action is not taken promptly.
In response to allegations of copyright infringement, Meta executives have stated their commitment to respecting copyright and compensating authors for any past infringements.
A court filing from January revealed a group of authors suing Meta for copyright violations, with influential figures like Ta-Nehisi Coates and Sarah Silverman involved in the case.
The case against Meta highlights the challenges posed by tech giants using copyrighted material without permission.
A Meta spokesperson defended the company’s use of copyrighted material for innovation and creativity, emphasizing the importance of fair use and their commitment to protecting their interests.
Source: www.theguardian.com