- Today
- Holidays
- Birthdays
- Reminders
- Cities
- Atlanta
- Austin
- Baltimore
- Berwyn
- Beverly Hills
- Birmingham
- Boston
- Brooklyn
- Buffalo
- Charlotte
- Chicago
- Cincinnati
- Cleveland
- Columbus
- Dallas
- Denver
- Detroit
- Fort Worth
- Houston
- Indianapolis
- Knoxville
- Las Vegas
- Los Angeles
- Louisville
- Madison
- Memphis
- Miami
- Milwaukee
- Minneapolis
- Nashville
- New Orleans
- New York
- Omaha
- Orlando
- Philadelphia
- Phoenix
- Pittsburgh
- Portland
- Raleigh
- Richmond
- Rutherford
- Sacramento
- Salt Lake City
- San Antonio
- San Diego
- San Francisco
- San Jose
- Seattle
- Tampa
- Tucson
- Washington
Burbank Today
By the People, for the People
Netflix, Warner Bros. Threaten TikTok Over AI-Generated Content
Media giants accuse ByteDance's Seedance platform of violating copyrights on popular shows and characters.
Published on Feb. 21, 2026
Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›
Netflix and Warner Bros. Discovery have issued cease and desist orders to ByteDance, the owner of TikTok, over the use of AI-generated content featuring copyrighted characters and intellectual property from shows like Stranger Things, Bridgerton, and the DC Universe. The media companies are threatening legal action, accusing Seedance 2.0, ByteDance's short-form video platform, of widespread copyright infringement.
Why it matters
This clash highlights the growing tension between entertainment companies and AI platforms over the use of copyrighted material. As AI technology advances, it becomes easier for users to create unauthorized derivative works featuring popular characters and storylines, posing a threat to the intellectual property rights of media conglomerates.
The details
Netflix's cease and desist order gives ByteDance three days to remove all infringing content and implement safeguards to prevent future violations. Warner Bros. Discovery, which is in the process of being acquired by Netflix, has also sent a cease and desist letter to ByteDance, reminding the company of its history of protecting the studio's copyrighted works like Superman and Batman. Other studios, including Paramount and Disney, have joined Netflix's legal action against Seedance.
- On February 18, 2026, Netflix and Warner Bros. Discovery issued cease and desist orders to ByteDance over AI-generated content on the Seedance platform.
- ByteDance has been given a three-day deadline by Netflix to remove all infringing content and implement safeguards.
The players
Netflix
A major streaming platform that is in the process of acquiring Warner Bros. Discovery.
Warner Bros. Discovery
A media conglomerate that owns the rights to popular characters and intellectual property, including the DC Universe.
ByteDance
The parent company of TikTok, which recently launched the Seedance 2.0 short-form video platform.
John Rogovin
The Global General Counsel of ByteDance, who previously worked for Warner Bros.
Paramount
A major Hollywood studio that has joined Netflix's legal action against Seedance.
What’s next
The outcome of this legal battle will determine whether the copyrighted characters and content must be removed from the Seedance platform, or if ByteDance will need to negotiate licensing deals with the media companies.
The takeaway
This dispute highlights the growing challenges entertainment companies face in protecting their intellectual property as AI technology enables the creation of unauthorized derivative works. The resolution of this case could set important precedents for the use of copyrighted material in AI-generated content.
