ByteDance Will Limit AI Video Tool After Copyright Complaints

ByteDance, the company behind TikTok, has agreed to put limits on its AI video tool called Seedance. This comes after movie companies like Disney said the tool used their characters without permission. ByteDance says it will add more safety steps to the tool.
By Newsroom | Technology, Entertainment |

ByteDance, the Chinese technology firm behind TikTok, has pledged to curb its artificial intelligence (AI) video generator, Seedance. This action follows legal threats and formal complaints from The Walt Disney Company and other major Hollywood studios. The core of the dispute centers on allegations that Seedance has been used to create videos that infringe upon copyrighted intellectual property (IP).

The recent version of Seedance, Seedance 2.0, has gained notoriety for its ability to produce hyper-realistic video clips from simple text prompts. This has allowed users to generate content featuring well-known actors and characters from popular franchises, leading to concerns about unauthorized use of likenesses and creative works.

ByteDance to curb AI video app after Disney legal threat - 1

Hollywood's Response to Seedance

Major entertainment companies have voiced strong objections to Seedance's capabilities and alleged practices.

  • Copyright Infringement Accusations: Several Hollywood studios claim that Seedance has been trained on or generates content that infringes on their copyrights. Disney, in particular, has stated that Seedance was pre-packaged with a "pirated library" of copyrighted characters from franchises such as Star Wars and Marvel.

  • Cease-and-Desist Letters: Disney sent a cease-and-desist letter to ByteDance on February 15, 2026, accusing the company of using its characters without authorization. Paramount Skydance also reportedly issued a similar letter, alleging "egregious violation of intellectual property."

  • Industry-Wide Concerns: The Motion Picture Association (MPA), representing major studios like Netflix and Warner Bros. Discovery, has demanded that Seedance "immediately cease its infringing activity." Actors' union Sag-Aftra has also accused the tool of "blatant infringement."

ByteDance's Stance and Actions

ByteDance has acknowledged the concerns raised by entertainment companies and stated its commitment to addressing them.

Read More: UK Government Wants New Online Safety Rules for Kids

ByteDance to curb AI video app after Disney legal threat - 2

  • Pledges to Curb and Strengthen Safeguards: The company has announced plans to "curb" and "strengthen current safeguards" on Seedance 2.0. They have stated they "respect intellectual property rights" and take potential infringement "seriously."

  • Limited Testing Phase Mentioned: ByteDance has indicated that some of the content in question was created as part of a "limited pre-launch testing phase."

  • Prior Feature Suspension: The company previously paused a feature that allowed users to upload images of real people.

Despite these commitments, ByteDance has not yet provided specific details on the measures they will implement to curb unauthorized IP use on Seedance.

Global Investigations and Similar Cases

The controversy surrounding Seedance extends beyond Hollywood, with international bodies also initiating inquiries.

ByteDance to curb AI video app after Disney legal threat - 3

  • Japanese Government Investigation: Japan's government has reportedly opened an investigation into ByteDance over possible copyright violations, following the surfacing of AI-generated videos featuring popular Japanese anime characters.

  • Previous Actions Against AI Platforms: Disney has previously taken similar actions against other AI platforms, such as Character.AI, demanding they stop unauthorized use of its characters. Disney also has a licensing agreement with OpenAI for the use of its characters in OpenAI's Sora video generator.

The Seedance Tool

Seedance is described as a generative AI tool capable of creating videos based on short text prompts. Its ability to produce "high quality video" and "cinematic narratives" with minimal input has drawn attention, but also criticism from creative industries concerned about the origin and use of the data used to train such models.

Read More: A.R. Rahman Takes Break to Finish Music for 'Ramayana' Film

The core of the conflict lies in the alleged unauthorized use of copyrighted characters and likenesses to train and operate ByteDance's AI video generation tool, Seedance, leading to formal legal challenges from major entertainment studios and subsequent commitments from ByteDance to implement controls.

ByteDance to curb AI video app after Disney legal threat - 4

  • Actors Involved: ByteDance, The Walt Disney Company, Paramount Skydance, Motion Picture Association, Sag-Aftra, Japanese government.

  • Key Platforms: Seedance, Seedance 2.0, TikTok, OpenAI's Sora.

  • Allegations: Copyright infringement, use of pirated character libraries, unauthorized use of IP.

  • Reported Actions: Cease-and-desist letters, government investigations, company pledges to curb and strengthen safeguards.

Expert Analysis

"The rapid advancement of generative AI tools like Seedance presents a fundamental challenge to existing copyright frameworks. The ability to create hyper-realistic content featuring established characters and likenesses without explicit permission forces a re-evaluation of intellectual property rights in the digital age." - Analysis from an unnamed legal expert cited in various reports.

"ByteDance's commitment to 'curb' the tool suggests an acknowledgment of the validity of these claims. However, the devil is in the details: how will these safeguards be implemented, and what data was truly used to train the model? Transparency will be key moving forward." - Commentary from a technology analyst observing the situation.

Conclusion and Implications

ByteDance's agreement to limit Seedance is a significant development in the ongoing debate surrounding AI and intellectual property. The move by Disney, Paramount Skydance, and other major entities signals a firm stance against what they perceive as unauthorized commercial use of their creative assets.

Read More: Bill Gates Likes Andhra Pradesh's Use of Technology

The situation highlights the growing tension between the rapid innovation in AI technology and the established legal structures designed to protect creative works. As ByteDance works to implement controls on Seedance, the broader industry will be observing to understand:

  • The specific technical measures ByteDance will deploy to prevent future infringement.

  • The impact of these limitations on Seedance's functionality and user base.

  • How this case might set precedents for other AI development companies and IP holders.

  • The outcomes of ongoing governmental investigations, particularly in Japan.

The broader implication is that companies utilizing generative AI may need to develop more robust strategies for licensing content or ensuring their training data is free from copyright restrictions to avoid similar legal entanglements.

Sources

Read More: Logan Paul's Rare Pokémon Card Sells for $16.4 Million

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: What is Seedance?
Seedance is a tool made by ByteDance that uses artificial intelligence to create videos from simple text. People can use it to make new video clips.
Q: Why are movie companies unhappy with Seedance?
Companies like Disney say Seedance used their characters and movies without asking. They believe this is against copyright rules.
Q: What is ByteDance doing about it?
ByteDance has promised to limit Seedance and add more safety rules. They say they respect copyright and will take action.
Q: Are other countries looking into this?
Yes, the government in Japan is also looking into ByteDance for possible copyright issues with AI videos.
Q: What does this mean for AI tools?
This shows that companies making AI tools need to be careful about using copyrighted material. It might lead to new rules for AI.