The Delhi High Court questioned Meta on Wednesday about why established content creators are not allowed to use its rights manager tool, even though scammers appear to be able to use it to issue bogus copyright strikes against original content.
Hearing the case of Mohit Kumar vs John Doe/Ashok Kumar and Others, Judge Anup Jairam Bhambhani said Meta should document its eligibility requirements and policy for allowing access to its free content-protection tool, Rights Manager, according to Bar and Bench.
Additionally, the court requested that Meta provide an explanation for why applications for tool access are denied. “Why doesn't everybody have access to it then?” the court questioned.
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Mohit Kumar, a business, e-commerce, and artificial intelligence coach who posts instructional content on social media under the handle "Rise With Mohit," filed the lawsuit.
Kumar claimed that scammers had downloaded his original videos and claimed ownership of them by registering them with Meta's rights management. They then allegedly applied copyright strikes to Kumar's accounts using the program.
Content shared on Facebook and Instagram that matches is found by Rights Manager. Anyone who has access to the tool can decide whether to keep an eye on, block, or take action against stuff that fits their stated content.
Kumar's attorney informed the court that he had requested access to the tool three times but had been turned down for no apparent reason. It was contended that although established creators with substantial engagement and brand partnerships were denied access, others with just a few hundred followers seemed to have it.
The Court said, "It is like giving the key to the robber and not to the owner of the house."
The attorney further argued that a legitimate creator's account might vanish overnight due to bogus copyright strikes, erasing years of work, revenue, brand partnerships, and commercial prospects.
Meta notified the Court that the content that had been removed due to the bogus strikes against Kumar had been restored. It further stated that Kumar's accounts remained accessible and were never suspended.
The business added that Kumar's accounts would not be removed due to the disputed copyright strikes, pending technical verification.
After confirming Kumar's assertions, Meta's attorney stated that the business will review his request for rights manager access. Additionally, the attorney consented to present the Court with the pertinent policy and eligibility requirements.
The Court ordered that any content removed due to fraudulent copyright strikes be reinstated if Kumar provides Meta with adequate evidence demonstrating that the strikes are false and that the content actually belongs to him.
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Additionally, Justice Bhambhani noted that the matter needed more investigation because it was coming up in other cases involving content creators.
“There are some chinks in the armour, some loopholes that have been noticed. We better sort it out,” the Court said.
The Court further stated that the issue was causing more lawsuits.
As a result, the judge issued a summons in the lawsuit and a notice on Kumar's request for temporary relief. The lawsuit and a related case with comparable issues will be heard on September 24.
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