After AI-generated movies of well-liked Netflix IPs appeared on TikTok, created by the platform Seedance 2.0, the streaming powerhouse has taken fast motion.
On Tuesday, February 17, Netflix joined Warner Bros., Disney, and Paramount in sending stop and desist letters to AI firm Bytedance, creator of Seedance. Alongside the streamers, the MPA and SAG-AFTRA have slammed the app for “blatant copyright infringement.” Netflix litigation chief Mindy LeMoine named particular hit IPs: Stranger Issues, KPop Demon Hunters, Bridgerton, and Squid Recreation.
Within the letter (see full doc right here), LeMoine said:
Netflix has by no means approved ByteDance to make use of our content material to generate these photos or movies. ByteDance’s actions are willful, and represent direct and secondary copyright infringement. Using copyrighted works to create a competing business product, particularly one which regurgitates the unique, is just not protected by truthful use.
This rise in authorized motion taken by main movie and tv studios is a part of a rising battle in opposition to AI-generated materials and the platforms that create it. Whereas unbiased artists have been critiquing this expertise for plagiarism for longer, larger studios have been slower to react, as a substitute implementing extra AI into their very own enterprise fashions.
This is likely one of the components that led to the WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes in 2023 and 2024. On the time, studios had been pushing for extra AI integration of their workflow, seeking to maximize effectivity, subsequently eradicating human expertise, wherever attainable. Disney and Common’s pushback in opposition to apps like Midjourney again in June 2025 marked the primary time Hollywood studios had been making strikes in opposition to such content material.
Now, Netflix has made the next calls for: “To keep away from fast litigation…“
1. Stop Generative Output: Instantly implement technological guardrails to forestall Seedance from producing any content material that resembles Netflix’s protected characters, titles, or settings.
2. Take away Infringing Content material: Take away all unlawfully obtained Netflix-owned content material from coaching datasets, and in addition scrub all present Seedance-generated movies that includes Netflix IP from all ByteDance-controlled platforms.
3. Determine All Infringements: Present an accounting of all cases the place Seedance has generated content material primarily based on prompts associated to Netflix’s IP.
4. Revoke Third-Get together Entry: Revoke entry for any business companions or API customers presently using Seedance to generate unauthorized Netflix spinoff works.
In a earlier assertion shared with Deadline, following motion taken by Disney and Paramount, ByteDance stated: “We’re taking steps to strengthen present safeguards as we work to forestall the unauthorized use of mental property and likeness by customers.” Whereas ByteDance has but to formulate its reply to Netflix’s stop and desist, they are going to doubtless be rushing issues up as a result of three-day deadline Netflix has given them.
What Does This Imply For AI-Generated Content material Transferring Ahead?
Nevertheless, one other main shift within the panorama of AI content material occurred lately when Disney signed a large take care of OpenAI, legally permitting its IP for use by the corporate’s generative instruments. In the end, solely time will inform how a lot customers will usually be capable of embody copyrighted materials of their AI-generated content material.
Whereas works that fall beneath the general public area ought to nonetheless be truthful sport, apps may start deploying an analogous copyright strike system to platforms like YouTube. The scenario between Netflix and ByteDance ought to develop additional this week.
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January 16, 2007
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Reed Hastings and Marc Randolph