The Motion Picture Association (MPA) has taken a firm stance against Bytedance, labeling its Seedance 2.0 as a tool designed for 'systematic infringement' of copyright laws. On February 22, 2026, the MPA issued a cease-and-desist letter to Bytedance, emphasizing that the AI video generator's capability to infringe on copyrights is not an unintended flaw but a fundamental aspect of its operation.
The MPA contends that Bytedance has trained its AI model using studio content without acquiring proper permissions and has released the service without implementing necessary safeguards. This, the association argues, has resulted in the unauthorized reproduction and distribution of content that infringes on the copyrights of MPA member studios, including major players like Netflix, Warner Bros., Disney, Paramount, and Sony.
These studios had already taken individual legal actions against Bytedance, reflecting a broader concern within the industry about generative AI companies' practices. Warner Bros. criticized Bytedance for following a typical strategy where companies initially leverage copyrighted material for marketing advantages, only to introduce protective measures under legal pressure—a tactic previously seen with OpenAI.
Ongoing investigations have repeatedly identified instances where Seedance 2.0 has violated the rights of these studios. Speculation is rife that the mounting copyright complaints might delay the launch of the Seedance 2.0 API, originally scheduled for February 24, as Bytedance may be hastily working on implementing more robust safeguards.
This controversy follows an earlier incident where Bytedance agreed to restrict Seedance after Disney threatened legal action over intellectual property violations. Disney accused Bytedance of creating a 'pirate library' featuring characters from franchises like Marvel and Star Wars. The company has since partnered exclusively with OpenAI. Viral videos using copyrighted characters have been widely shared on social media since the release of Seedance 2.0, prompting further legal threats from Paramount and the involvement of organizations like SAG-AFTRA.
Japan has also launched an investigation into potential copyright infringements related to anime characters. In response, Bytedance has stated its commitment to respecting intellectual property rights and is reportedly working on enhancing its protective measures, though specific details have not been disclosed.