Europe's richest man sues the world's richest man Elon Musk for this reason
social media platform X (formerly Twitter) for using his newspapers’ content without proper payment. This legal battle involves Arnault's newspapers, Le Parisien and Les Echos, alongside French dailies Le Figaro and Le Monde, who claim X failed to negotiate content remuneration as mandated under European law. Here’s what you need to know:
Arnault vs. Musk
Arnault's case revolves around the European directive from 2019, designed to ensure digital platforms pay news publishers when distributing their content. Unlike Google and Meta, X has refused to open negotiations with French media outlets. A Paris judicial court earlier ruled in favor of the newspapers, demanding X share commercial data within two months. The publishers claim X has not complied, leading to further legal action.
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The lawsuit also comes as Arnault’s fortune has fallen by $36 billion in 2024, mainly due to decreased demand from China for luxury goods, lowering his net worth to $171.5 billion. Meanwhile, Elon Musk's wealth surged by $105.5 billion, reaching $334.5 billion, largely driven by the market boom following Donald Trump's presidency.
French publishers emphasize the importance of these rights to safeguard media independence and quality. They argue that the revenue helps ensure a free and diverse press, essential for democracy. The case is set to be heard in May, promising a dramatic courtroom face-off between the world’s top
