The first story today brings a real sense of déjà vu. Not just because “another copyright-related legal battle against tech firms” is hardly new. It's hardly déjà vu either: more “here we go again.” It's more that the latest action from the Independent Publishers Guild (IPG) is strikingly familiar in form to the action we saw from the Society of Authors some time ago.
ALLi News Editor Dan Holloway
And that form of action is a warning letter sent to tech firms to “cease using publishers' copyright without express permission and provide detailed records of content that has been used to date.” And it comes with a comment that the group, which has taken the step in the form of letters sent through legal representatives, reserves the right to take legal action if firms do not comply.
The blog from Fox Williams, the lawyers with a history of representation in copyright-related matters, notes that “the matter raises significant issues for the publishing sector, including the scope of copyright protection in the context of AI training, transparency around data sourcing, and the balance between technological development and the rights of content owners.”
Uncertain Strategy
It's an interesting development, but I am not completely sure what the intention is. I don't recall the Society of Authors' similar request getting a response (certainly not a high-profile one), and neither do I recall any concrete action coming as a result of firms ignoring the request. Furthermore, we pretty much know what the practices of major tech firms are from other legal happenings.
I do understand the importance of making a statement, but statements do tend to work best when part of a strategy. We wait and see what that might be.
BookTok Celebrates Reading
And I end today with an announcement from TikTok. 2026 has been declared to be a National Year of Reading in the UK, and BookTok is fully on board.
Writers and readers everywhere can get sharing their passion with an avid audience.
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