By Parrot Newspaper 
Eminem Sues Meta for $109M Over Alleged Unauthorized Use of Music
Eminem’s publishing company, Eight Mile Style, has launched a major legal battle against Mark Zuckerberg’s Meta, accusing the tech giant of using the rapper’s music across its platforms without securing proper licensing.
The federal lawsuit, filed in Michigan, claims that Meta—parent company of Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp—unlawfully stored, reproduced, and distributed hundreds of Eminem’s tracks, leading to massive copyright violations. Eight Mile Style is demanding more than $109 million in damages and a court injunction to stop what it describes as “ongoing infringement.”
At the heart of the lawsuit are 243 songs allegedly owned or controlled by Eight Mile Style. The company argues that these tracks have been used in millions of videos viewed billions of times, all without permission. The complaint details how Meta continued to allow the music to be copied and synced to user-generated content, even after negotiations for a licensing deal—conducted through music rights agency Audiam—fell through.
“Despite not being licensed, the recordings of the Eight Mile compositions have been reproduced and synchronized with visual content on Meta’s platforms,” the lawsuit states. It goes further, alleging that Meta’s leadership not only turned a blind eye but actively encouraged the infringement to drive user engagement—and with it, ad revenue. In 2023, advertising reportedly accounted for nearly 98% of Meta’s total income.
The suit also accuses Meta of continuing to make available karaoke tracks, instrumental versions, and even some original recordings of Eminem’s work, despite being formally notified about the licensing breach.
“Meta’s years-long and ongoing infringement of the Eight Mile compositions is another case of a trillion-dollar company exploiting the creative efforts of musical artists for the benefit of its executives and shareholders,” reads a striking line from the complaint.
Meta, in a statement to the Los Angeles Times, defended its position, saying it maintains “extensive” music licensing agreements with thousands of global partners and had been negotiating “in good faith” with Eight Mile Style. “Rather than continue those discussions, Eight Mile Style chose to sue,” the company said.
This isn’t the first time the two parties have faced off in court. Back in 2013, Eight Mile Style sued Facebook for allegedly using Eminem’s “Under the Influence” in an ad without permission.
Eminem Sues Meta
Now, the publisher is seeking statutory damages of up to $150,000 per song, per platform, and has requested a jury trial. The outcome could carry major implications not just for Meta, but for how tech companies handle copyrighted music in the age of social media.