On November 12, 2024, a major lawsuit was filed in Paris when Bernard Arnault, the richest man in Europe and chairman of LVMH, decided to sue Elon Musk’s social media platform X. The lawsuit involves allegations that X used content from two prominent French newspapers, Le Parisien and Les Echos, without compensating the media organizations that own these newspapers.
Le Parisien and Les Echos, two major French newspapers owned by Arnault’s luxury empire LVMH, have accused X of copying and distributing their articles without a licensing agreement or payment. This is seen as a violation of regulations that protect news agencies, which require online platforms to pay for the right to use and distribute their content.
This action has not only brought Bernard Arnault into a legal battle with Elon Musk, but has also attracted support from other major French newspapers. Publications like Le Monde, Le Figaro, Telerama, Courrier International, and Huffington Post have aligned themselves with Arnault and the French publishers, agreeing with their demands for fair compensation when their content is used on digital platforms.
Arnault currently holds the title of the richest man in Europe, with an estimated net worth of $156 billion, ranking fifth among the richest people in the world. However, he still lags behind the richest man globally, Elon Musk, the founder of Tesla, SpaceX, and owner of X. Musk currently has a net worth of $308 billion, securing the top spot in the global billionaire rankings.
The lawsuit between Bernard Arnault and Elon Musk is expected to create a major legal showdown between the two wealthiest and most powerful men in the world. The case will be heard in Paris in May 2025, marking the beginning of a tense legal confrontation not just over legal matters but also over economic rights, especially as digital platforms continue to play a pivotal role in the distribution and consumption of media content.
