Another Social Media Copyright Case: Beastie Boys Sue Chili’s Parent Over Alleged ‘Sabotage’ Infringement

A Chili’s location in Dallas, Texas, where the chain’s parent, now facing a copyright infringement suit from the Beastie Boys, is headquartered. Photo Credit: Saiflee100

The parent company of Chili’s is facing a copyright infringement suit from the Beastie Boys over the alleged unauthorized use of “Sabotage” in a social media video. Surviving Beastie Boys members Michael Diamond and Adam Horovitz just recently submitted the complaint alongside the estate of Adam Yauch and others. Brinker International (NYSE: EAT), the owner of Chili’s as well as Maggiano’s, is the lone defendant in the straightforward suit.

Per that action, Brinker in November of 2022 at the earliest “produced, sponsored, and encouraged the creation and posting on social media of videos” promoting Chili’s, with one such clip allegedly featuring “Sabotage.”

As noted, the Beastie Boys plaintiffs say they didn’t green-light the campaign, which specifically infringes on the well-known work’s composition, recording, and, owing to the creative direction of the relevant Chili’s clip, original music video, according to the legal text.

The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame-inducted group’s members “do not license ‘Sabotage’ or any of their other intellectual property for third-party product advertising purposes, and deceased Beastie Boys member Adam Yauch included a provision in his will prohibiting such uses,” the lawsuit spells out.

Evidence like a Destiny 2 spot appears to contradict the former claim; the trailer in question incorporates “Sabotage” prominently and released about half a decade after Yauch’s passing.

In any event, the point’s secondary to the new infringement case, which has arrived amid continued operational difficulties throughout the restaurant sector. Against this backdrop, it makes more sense than ever to try and drum up business via social media.Unfortunately, leaning into the valuable promotional tool isn’t without potential pitfalls, as leading platforms’ song libraries are cleared solely for personal, not commercial, use. The key detail has seemingly escaped the attention of (or been ignored by) higher-ups at a growing list of companies.

As reiterated by the AP, that includes the parent of Monster Energy, which was reportedly ordered to pay $1.7 million to the Beastie Boys in 2014 for the unauthorized use of a track. Furthermore, Monster itself scooped up Bang Energy last year, after the rival business declared bankruptcy following a number of major label infringement claims.

Closer to the present, Sony Music sued OFRA Cosmetics during the final months of 2023 for “blatant, willful, and repeated copyright infringement” on X, Instagram, and TikTok. And late May of this year saw the same major label target Marriott over “rampant infringement” on social media.