Authors Push Back as Publishers, Agents Grab Share of $1.5B Anthropic Copyright Payout

Nearly 500,000 authors owed $3,000 per pirated title from Anthropic's $1.5B copyright settlement are reporting that publishers and literary agents are claiming shares they aren't entitled to, including on rights-reverted works that should pay 100% to the author. Writer Beware's Victoria Strauss called the volume of complaints 'widespread and systemic'; mystery writer April Henry says HarperCollins claimed a book whose rights reverted 17 years ago and listed itself as her employer without permission. First payments are due between Nov 1-15.