Warner Music Group sues EssilorLuxottica over copyright infringement

Warner Music Group (WMG) has filed a copyright infringement lawsuit against EssilorLuxottica, the Italian eyewear conglomerate that owns brands including Ray-Ban, Oakley, and Costa Del Mar. The lawsuit, filed in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York, alleges that the company used at least 427 copyrighted works in social media promotional videos without proper licensing or compensation.

The complaint claims that these unlicensed tracks were used across platforms such as TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube to drive sales and build brand profiles. Featured artists allegedly include Taylor Swift, Drake, Dua Lipa, Rihanna, Charli xcx, and Travis Scott. WMG asserts that EssilorLuxottica disregarded licensing warnings from various social media platforms regarding the commercial use of copyrighted material.

WMG is seeking maximum statutory damages for willful infringement, which could theoretically reach approximately $64 million, based on a calculation of $150,000 per copyrighted work. The lawsuit argues that the unauthorized use deprived artists and songwriters of both financial compensation and control over how their art is utilized.