A group of YouTubers has expanded their lawsuit to include Snap, alleging the tech company used their video content without permission to train AI models. The creators behind popular YouTube channels with a combined 6.2 million subscribers claim Snap utilized their videos to develop AI features like the ‘Imagine Lens’ in its app, enabling users to edit images with text prompts.
The lawsuit, filed in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California, accuses Snap of utilizing datasets, such as HD-VILA-100M, intended for research purposes only, in violation of YouTube’s terms of service and licensing restrictions.
This legal action is part of a broader trend where content creators are challenging AI companies over copyright issues. Similar cases involving publishers, authors, newspapers, and artists have emerged, reflecting the growing tension between AI development and intellectual property rights.
While some disputes have been settled or ruled in favor of tech companies, the lawsuit against Snap underscores the ongoing debate surrounding the ethical use of user-generated content in AI training.
Source: TechCrunch