Sony Music (SME) and DSW, the brand of Designer Brands Inc. (DBI), have formally dismissed Sony’s copyright lawsuit over recordings used in social media promotional videos. The dismissal, made official in a brief notice, closes a case that began in August 2025.
Background of the Case#
Sony Music sued in August 2025, alleging that DSW had infringed its copyrighted sound recordings in social media promotional videos. The clips included uploads to the company’s TikTok and Instagram pages, as well as commissioned posts on influencers’ accounts.
Music libraries offered by social media platforms are licensed for personal use, not commercial use. Some brands have allegedly paired their videos with tracks that are not included in those commercial libraries, which can lead to infringement claims.
DSW’s Counter-Suit#
In July 2025, DSW filed its own suit seeking a judgment that it had not infringed the copyrights of Sony Music, Universal Music and BMG, which had also alleged unauthorized uses.
DSW stated: “The DBI [Designer Brands Inc.] Entities will not permit the Labels to bully them, abuse copyright law, and cast a shadow over their businesses with baseless threats of copyright infringement.”
Sony Music’s suit was filed “to stop DSW’s rampant infringement of SME’s copyrighted sound recordings,” and the parties had earlier reached a settlement in principle.
Other Disputes Moving Toward Resolution#
A recent filing in DSW’s declaratory judgment action indicates that the defendant is also working to resolve other disputes. Counsel for both sides said:
- “The Parties have a near-final copy of an agreement resolving the dispute between Plaintiffs and the Defendants associated with BMG Rights Management (US) LLC and Universal Music Group that they expect to execute this week.”
- “The Parties are diligently working on an agreement resolving the dispute between Plaintiffs and the Defendants associated with Sony Music Publishing,” with notification “of a deadline for dismissal of all remaining claims” expected “prior to the next reporting deadline of Wednesday, November 28, 2026.”
The settlement terms have not been disclosed. Any one-time settlement costs may appear in the upcoming earnings reports of Designer Brands (New York Stock Exchange: DBI).
Pending Motion to Amend the Complaint#
The case has not been fully resolved. DSW has formally opposed a major label’s motion to file a second amended complaint, which would appear to add infringement claims covering about 70 more influencer posts.
DSW argued that the amended complaint “fundamentally changes the scope of the case,” and that the motion should therefore be denied.
