Universal Music Group and TikTok have announced a new licensing agreement that will restore Universal’s songs and artists to the social media platform. The agreement comes after TikTok began removing Universal’s content from its app due to expired licensing and disagreements on royalty payments and online safety. TikTok is a valuable marketing tool for the music industry, with many young users discovering music on the platform. Universal Music claims its artists are paid a fraction of what they receive from other platforms like YouTube. The deal also addresses concerns about AI-generated recordings and comes amidst questions about TikTok’s future in the US.
A federal judge granted a preliminary injunction blocking the enforcement of California’s Age-Appropriate Design Code Act, which aims to protect children online. The judge stated that the law’s commercial speech restrictions may violate the First Amendment. NetChoice, a trade group including Amazon, Google, Facebook, and TikTok, sued to block the law, arguing that it would pressure companies into becoming content censors or face hefty penalties. Other courts have also limited restrictions on children’s internet use.
