By asahifile 
SONY AND OTHER MUSIC LABELS SETTLE COPYRIGHT LAWSUIT AGAINST THE INTERNET ARCHIVE
In a significant development, Sony Music Entertainment and Universal Music Group, among other music labels, have resolved their lawsuit against the Internet Archive concerning its Great 78 Project, which aimed to digitize and preserve old 78 rpm records. Both parties announced that they would file to dismiss the lawsuit in the coming weeks.
The labels had previously claimed that the Internet Archive was unlawfully digitizing recordings, citing the preservation of works by renowned artists including Frank Sinatra, Ella Fitzgerald, and Billie Holiday. Following the settlement, the specific terms of the agreement remain confidential and will likely not be disclosed. A blog post from the Internet Archive confirmed they have reached a resolution regarding the claims but will refrain from public commentary on the matter.
The lawsuit initially targeted 2,749 recordings, subsequently amended to include an additional 1,393 tracks, totaling 4,142. Had the case proceeded unfavorably for the Internet Archive, they could have faced severe financial penalties—up to $150,000 for each recorded work. This settlement comes on the heels of other legal challenges faced by the Internet Archive, including a ruling against them by publishers concerning their National Emergency Library project during the pandemic, where they made numerous eBooks available publicly.
This latest resolution caps a critical period for digital archiving, especially regarding protecting historical music collections, as the Internet Archive continues to navigate the complexities of copyright laws in its preservation efforts.