Anthropic's copyright settlement has sparked disputes among authors, with some reporting that publishers and agents are claiming more than their share of payments.

The settlement, which was finalized in July, allows authors of nearly 500,000 titles to receive $3,000 for each pirated work. If the book is still in-print, the payment is split 50-50 between author and publisher.

However, authors are now reporting that some publishers are claiming more than their share, especially for books where rights have reverted.

Authors have taken to social media to voice their concerns. April Henry, a mystery and thriller author, questioned why HarperCollins was claiming a book that reverted back at least 17 years ago.

Victoria Strauss, a writer at Writers Beware, noted that authors are reporting two main issues: publishers claiming payments for works they no longer have a legitimate claim on, and publishers seeking full 100% payment when they are only entitled to 50%.

Strauss suggested that the confusion might be due to poor recordkeeping rather than malice. She also mentioned that some publishers have already acknowledged the issue and asked Anthropic to fix it.

Mary Rasenberger, CEO of the Authors Guild, stated that she doesn’t see this as a deliberate attempt by publishers to harm authors, but rather a result of the complex settlement process.

In addition to publishers, some literary agencies are also making claims, which is surprising since agents are not rightsholders. Courtney Milan, an author and former law clerk, criticized agents for attempting to claim percentages on the settlement.

Milan and the Authors Guild have shared guidance on how authors can dispute their payment allocations, including the importance of verifying the reversion date of a book’s rights.

The situation highlights the challenges of managing a large-scale settlement. Authors are reporting similar errors repeatedly, suggesting the issue may be more widespread than initially thought. The Authors Guild and other stakeholders are working to resolve these disputes, but the process remains complex and confusing for many involved.

Source: techcrunch