The organization of Internet Archive is facing the threat of another court claim, as it has been accused by several music labels, including Sony Music Entertainment and Universal Music Group, of violations related to the digitization of sound recordings from 1972. Specifically, they are accusing the organization of “deliberate loading, distribution, and digital transmission” of these recordings as part of the Great 78 project, which aims to preserve music recorded on 78 rpm plates.
Among the digitized records are works by renowned performers such as Frank Sinatra, Ella Fitzgerald, Billy Holiday, Miles Davis, and Louis Armstrong. The labels argue that such digitization is a “egregious violation of rights” and claim that the songs available on the archive’s website can already be found through streaming and other music services, thus making the preservation efforts unnecessary.
On the other hand, Internet Archive has stated that the digitized records hold research value as artifacts and evidence of the use of rare 78 rpm records. However, the plaintiffs dispute this argument and believe that the organization’s activities go beyond the purpose of preservation and research.
According to Bloomberg, the music labels are seeking compensation of up to $150,000 for each audio record, potentially resulting in a total claim amount of $372 million.
In addition to this ongoing legal battle, Internet Archive is also engaged in a dispute with a group of American publishers led by Hachette Book Group. The conflict arose due to the archive’s proposal of scanned books during the pandemic, which the publishers deemed an “intentional massive violation of copyright.” Although a federal judge ruled in favor of the publishers, Internet Archive plans to appeal the decision.