This page hosts daily news stories about the media, social media, and the journalism industry. Get the latest Hirings and Firings, Media Transactions, Controversies, and more.
Yomiuri Shimbun Sues Perplexity for Copyright Violations
Japan’s largest newspaper, Yomiuri Shimbun, has filed a landmark lawsuit against AI startup Perplexity, accusing it of illegally reproducing over 119,000 articles without permission. The suit, lodged in Tokyo District Court on August 7, alleges violations of Japan’s “right of reproduction” and “right to transmit to the public,” seeking nearly $15 million in damages. While Japanese law allows AI developers to train on copyrighted works, it forbids wholesale reproduction and public distribution that could harm publishers. Perplexity says it is investigating the claims. Similar legal battles against AI firms have emerged in the U.S., India, and France. (Read More) (Nieman Lab Rating)
AOL to Shut Down Dial-Up Internet After Decades
AOL has announced it will permanently end its dial-up internet service on September 30, closing the chapter on a defining technology of the 1990s and early 2000s. Once the dominant U.S. internet provider, AOL’s dial-up service was known for its signature connection sounds and “You’ve got mail” greeting. The shutdown affects a small remaining user base — just over 0.13% of U.S. households in 2023. AOL will continue offering email services and other subscription products. The move follows other tech retirements, including Microsoft’s discontinuation of Skype and Internet Explorer. (Read More) (Associated Press Rating)
Reddit Blocks Internet Archive’s Wayback Machine from Accessing Content
Reddit has stopped the Internet Archive’s Wayback Machine from indexing its community pages, citing concerns that AI companies have been using the archive to bypass Reddit’s data restrictions. The Wayback Machine, which preserves over 866 billion web pages, is a vital tool for journalists and researchers, especially as nearly 40% of 2013’s web content is now inaccessible. The block will limit the archive to Reddit’s homepage, potentially reducing historical transparency online. This move follows broader industry efforts to restrict web scraping as proprietary data grows more valuable. (Read More) (Social Media Today Rating)
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