Strike 3 Holdings Sues Meta Over Alleged Pornographic Video Piracy for AI Training
Key Points
- Strike 3 Holdings alleges Meta illegally torrented over 2,000 of its copyrighted porn videos.
- The complaint cites 47 Meta‑affiliated IP addresses used to download and seed the content.
- Meta is accused of using the videos to improve its AI models, aiming for "superintelligence."
- Strike 3 seeks $350 million in statutory damages based on the alleged infringement.
- Meta says it is reviewing the lawsuit and does not believe the claims are accurate.
Strike 3 Holdings, a producer of "high quality," "feminist," and "ethical" adult videos, has filed a federal lawsuit against Meta Platforms alleging that the company illegally torrented and distributed thousands of its copyrighted pornographic videos to train its artificial‑intelligence models. The complaint claims Meta used the BitTorrent protocol to obtain more than 2,396 videos, citing 47 distinct Meta‑affiliated IP addresses, and argues that this conduct gave Meta a competitive edge in developing its so‑called "superintelligence" AI. Meta has responded that it is reviewing the complaint and does not believe the claims are accurate.
Background
Strike 3 Holdings, which markets its adult‑video library as high‑quality, feminist, and ethical, brought a lawsuit in a California federal court against Meta Platforms Inc. The filing alleges that Meta has been downloading and sharing copyrighted pornographic content from Strike 3’s catalog since 2018. According to the complaint, Meta used the BitTorrent protocol to acquire and seed the files, making them available without age verification.
Allegations
The complaint lists 2,396 specific Strike 3 videos that Meta allegedly BitTorrent‑ed and distributed. It further alleges that the piracy was driven by Meta’s desire to obtain visual angles, body parts, and uninterrupted scenes that are rare in mainstream media, thereby enhancing the quality, fluidity, and humanity of its AI models. The lawsuit states that Meta’s AI training leveraged these videos as “currency” to support the download of a broader array of content needed for its AI development, including non‑pornographic titles from television series and other media.
Strike 3’s infringement‑detection systems reportedly identified activity from 47 distinct Meta‑affiliated IP addresses. Based on statutory infringement penalties, the company is seeking $350 million in damages.
Legal Context
The case arrives amid a wave of copyright lawsuits targeting AI developers for using protected works as training data. While some courts have ruled that certain AI training practices do not constitute direct copying, the plaintiff argues that the alleged piracy is a clear violation of copyright law, regardless of the intended transformation.
Responses
Meta’s spokesperson, Christopher Sgro, said the company is reviewing the complaint and does not believe Strike 3’s claims are accurate. The company has not provided further comment on the specific allegations or the requested damages.
Implications
If the lawsuit succeeds, it could set a precedent for how AI companies must source training data, especially when that data includes adult‑entertainment content. Legal scholars cited in the complaint warn that using pirated material for AI training could undermine the market for legitimate content and raise public‑relations concerns. The outcome may influence future regulatory and judicial approaches to AI‑related copyright issues.