Disney sends Google a cease-and-desist notice, alleging extensive copyright violations

Disney Accuses Google of Widespread Copyright Violations

According to Variety, Disney has issued a cease-and-desist notice to Google, alleging that the company has breached its copyrights.

In the letter obtained by Variety, Disney claims that Google has engaged in extensive copyright infringement by using artificial intelligence tools and services to distribute unlicensed images and videos for commercial purposes.

The letter states, "Google functions like a digital vending machine, able to replicate, display, and disseminate copies of Disney’s extensive collection of copyrighted characters and creative works on a large scale. To make matters worse, many of these unauthorized images produced by Google’s AI services feature the Gemini logo, misleadingly suggesting that Disney has approved or authorized Google’s use of its intellectual property."

Disney further alleges that Google’s AI platforms have generated content featuring characters from popular franchises such as "Frozen," "The Lion King," "Moana," "The Little Mermaid," "Deadpool," and others.

While Google did not directly address the accusations, a company spokesperson responded by emphasizing their ongoing partnership with Disney and their commitment to dialogue. The spokesperson added, "We have a long-standing, mutually beneficial relationship with Disney and will continue to engage with them. More broadly, we rely on publicly available data from the open web to train our AI, and we have introduced advanced copyright protection tools like Google-extended and YouTube’s Content ID, which empower websites and rights holders to manage their content."

This dispute emerged on the same day Disney announced a $1 billion, three-year partnership with OpenAI, which will integrate Disney’s beloved characters into OpenAI’s Sora AI video generation platform.