Japan’s leading press group, the Japan Newspaper Publishers and Editors Association, has issued a strong statement warning generative AI companies against using news content without explicit permission. The association stressed that such practices may constitute copyright infringement under Japanese law, reads a JN post.
The group called on AI developers to obtain consent before scraping or training on news articles, citing growing concerns over unauthorized data usage. It also urged the Japanese government to establish robust legal safeguards to protect journalistic content in the AI era.
"Several member organizations have implemented technical barriers to block unauthorized AI training," the association noted. "However, these measures are often ignored by service providers, which could 'unreasonably prejudice the interests of the copyright owner' as stated in copyright law."
The statement also criticized the trend of "zero-click searches" — where users get AI-generated answers directly in search results, bypassing the original news source. The association labeled this practice as “free riding” on journalistic work, warning it jeopardizes the financial sustainability of news organizations.
“If the functions of news organizations, which are responsible for disseminating reliable information, deteriorate, the public’s right to know will suffer,” the statement said. It called for comprehensive reforms that extend beyond current legal frameworks.
Bd-pratidin English/ Jisan
