Due to LinkedIn’s unwillingness to negotiate, DPCMO referred the matter to the Danish Copyright Licence
Tribunal in 2023. In November 2024, DPCMO secured an initial victory when the Tribunal confirmed its
jurisdiction to address DPCMO’s complaint. In June 2025, the Tribunal stated that there is uncertainty
regarding Denmark’s implementation of Article 17 of the DSM Directive. However, the Tribunal’s decision
should not be understood to mean that a material assessment of LinkedIn’s liability has been conducted.
DPCMO has therefore now decided to take the matter to court.
This case is a matter of principle, which is why the Minister of Culture has informed the Danish Parliament
that it is the government’s assessment that Article 17 of the DSM Directive has not been incorrectly
implemented, but that the extended implementation has been undertaken with the full involvement of the
Danish Parliament to ensure that press publishers are not treated less favourably than other rights holders.
The Minister of Culture is now taking active steps to ensure that, during the forthcoming evaluation of the
DSM Directive, press publishers continue to be accorded the same rights as all other rights holders. This
approach upholds the central purpose of press publisher rights: to secure a free and pluralistic press, which
is essential for quality journalism and public access to reliable information. Once again, the Danish
government and Parliament are leading the way.
In its legal action, DPCMO asserts that LinkedIn is liable for its users’ sharing of protected excerpts from
press publications pursuant to Sections 69a and 52c of the Danish Copyright Act, which implements Articles
15 and 17 of the DSM Directive, is obliged to provide comprehensive information about the use of Danish
press publications on the platform, and that LinkedIn must pay reasonable remuneration for the use. In
addition, the summons contains several requests for disclosure, including in relation to Microsoft/LinkedIn’s
use of Danish press publications for AI training purposes.
A lawsuit is a last resort. However, Danish media have a responsibility to uphold the rule of law and to
protect fundamental democratic values, including intellectual property rights and a free, independent, and
pluralistic press.
A fair and level playing field benefits society. Respect for the rules enables both digital platforms and the
media industry to innovate and grow – and ensures that citizens continue to have access to reliable, relevant
journalism that supports informed public debate and a healthy democracy
DPCMO is represented in the lawsuit by DPCMO’s director, lawyer, Karen Rønde – who also represented DPCMO before the Danish Copyright Licence Tribunal – together with lawyer and partner Martin Dahl Pedersen of Kromann Reumert law firm. For enquiries, please contact Martin Dahl Pedersen, email: mdp@kromannreumert.com.