Netflix is taking action against ByteDance, issuing a cease and desist letter. The streaming giant accused the tech company of enabling the creation of AI-generated clips based on some of its most popular series. This includes Stranger Things and Bridgerton. In a letter, Netflix alleges that ByteDance’s platform produced unauthorized content related to its original programming.
Netflix joins WBD, Paramount, and Disney in issuing cease and desist letter against ByteDance
Netflix has joined Warner Bros. Discovery, Paramount, and Disney in issuing a cease and desist letter to ByteDance. The platform has alleged that the company’s Seedance 2.0 artificial intelligence platform is generating unauthorized works based on copyrighted studio content.
In a letter sent Tuesday, Netflix accused ByteDance of facilitating the creation of videos and images that replicate protected elements from several of its well-known projects, including Stranger Things, Squid Game, Bridgerton, and KPop Demon Hunters. They also threatened “immediate litigation.”
Mindy LeMoine, Netflix’s director of litigation, wrote in the letter that “Seedance acts as a high-speed piracy engine, generating mass quantities of unauthorized derivative works utilizing Netflix’s iconic characters, worlds, and scripted narratives.” The letter further states, “Netflix will not stand by and watch ByteDance treat our valued IP as free, public domain clip art (via Variety).”
Among the examples cited are AI-generated depictions of a Bridgerton masquerade scene featuring Sophie Baek’s “Lady in Silver” gown. Other includes recreations of the Stranger Things finale and depictions of the Squid Game “Red Light, Green Light” set. Netflix also said the platform produced content reflecting the animation style and characters from KPop Demon Hunters.
The company maintains that it has never authorized ByteDance to use its content for AI training or output generation. “The use of copyrighted works to create a competing commercial product, especially one that regurgitates the original, is not protected by fair use,” the letter states.
Netflix has given ByteDance three days to implement safeguards preventing further generation of infringing material. It has also asked ByteDance to remove Netflix-owned works from its training datasets and delete existing outputs. The letter warns that failure to comply could result in immediate litigation.
Originally reported by Disheeta Maheshwari on SuperHeroHype.
