"The Inevitable Has Happened"... Three Major Terrestrial Broadcasters File Copyright Infringement Claims Against Naver

"HyperCLOVA X Used Our Articles Without Authorization"
Opinion Delivered: Ban on Unauthorized Use of Content
"Sequential Lawsuits Against Big Tech... Strong Response Planned"

The three terrestrial broadcasters have filed a lawsuit against Naver, claiming that the company used their articles without permission for artificial intelligence (AI) training.

On the 13th, the three terrestrial broadcasters KBS, MBC, and SBS filed a lawsuit against Naver for copyright infringement and violation of the Unfair Competition Prevention Act, seeking damages and a ban on training, alleging that Naver used their broadcast articles without authorization for training generative AI (HyperCLOVA and HyperCLOVA X).

The media companies have consistently raised concerns about the unauthorized use and training of their data for AI learning. The Korea Broadcasting Association, which has 39 terrestrial broadcasters as members, sent a statement of opinion in December 2023 to domestic and international IT companies including Naver, Kakao, Google Korea, and Microsoft.

The association warned in advance that "separate compensation negotiations are required to use not only news content from terrestrial broadcasters but also all audio and video content for AI training, and unauthorized use is prohibited."

Naver's 'HyperCLOVA X'

The Korea Broadcasting Association AI Task Force, composed mainly of member companies' legal teams and intellectual property departments, demanded compensation for the use of broadcast news data and measures to prevent future infringements from Naver twice.

In response to the association TF's request for "disclosure of the source, content, and acquisition route of data used for AI training," Naver refused, stating that "the types and detailed contents of training data are considered important corporate assets and technical know-how, making disclosure difficult."

Currently, in several countries including the United States, compensation negotiations or agreements regarding the use of training data between media companies and AI firms are underway. Attention is focused on whether this lawsuit will establish clear standards for the use of training data for AI in Korea and serve as an opportunity to develop AI technology and the value of journalism together.

A representative of the Broadcasting Association AI Task Force stated, "We will continue to do our best to secure compensation for the use of broadcast news data and prevent future infringements," adding, "Starting with Naver, we will sequentially file lawsuits against big tech companies that have used news data without permission and respond firmly."