| To whom it may concern: | |
| RE: Cease and desist notice – copyright violation | |
| I am legal counsel to Torstar Corporation (“Torstar”), parent company of Toronto Star Newspapers Limited | |
| (“TSNL”) and Metroland Media Group Ltd. (“MMG”). This letter serves as notice that your website is | |
| hosting material that infringes the copyright of TSNL and MMG. | |
| In particular, your FineWeb dataset (https://huggingface.co/datasets/HuggingFaceFW/fineweb), described | |
| on your website as “a new, large-scale (15-trillion tokens, 44TB disk space) dataset for LLM pretraining” | |
| derived from “96 CommonCrawl snapshots” contains hundreds—if not thousands—of copyrighted works | |
| owned by TSNL and MMG. A full list of Torstar-owned domains is included as Schedule “A” to this letter | |
| (the “Domains”). | |
| TSNL and MMG respectively own the copyright in the content published on the Domains, including all | |
| headlines and articles. I have a good faith belief that the use of the material that appears within the FineWeb | |
| dataset is not authorized by the copyright owner, its agent, or by operation of law. | |
| Your unauthorized reproduction of this material is therefore an infringement of our intellectual property | |
| rights, and we hereby demand that you immediately: | |
| 1. cease and desist your unauthorized use of the content, and | |
| 2. remove the infringing material from the FineWeb dataset. | |
| If we do not receive a satisfactory response from you by January 31, 2025, we will have no choice but to | |
| consider pursuing all legal remedies necessary to prevent your unauthorized activities. Torstar, TSNL, and | |
| MMG expressly reserve their respective rights and remedies. | |
| Please contact me at the email listed above indicating your prompt response. | |
| Sincerely, | |
| ## Schedule "A" | |
| - startoronto.ca | |
| - peterboroughexaminer.com | |
| - guelphmercury.com | |
| - thrillium.com | |
| - allistonherald.com | |
| - waymoresports.ca | |
| - hamiltonspectator.org | |
| - pickeringnewsadvertiser.ca | |
| - oakvilletoday.ca | |
| - orilliatoday.com | |
| - vaughancitizen.com | |
| - themirror.ca | |
| - tsnl.ca | |
| - eastyorkmirror.ca | |
| - mytorstar.com | |
| - torontostar.org | |
| - torstar-qr.com | |
| - lindsaythisweek.com | |
| - forterietimes.ca | |
| - northyorkmirror.com | |
| - atkinsonprinciples.com | |
| - starmediagroup.ca | |
| - erabanner.ca | |
| - burlingtonpost.com | |
| - bracebridgeexaminer.com | |
| - thestar.com | |
| - scoregolf.ca | |
| - yorkregion.com | |
| - mountforest.com | |
| - torstarcorp.ca | |
| - whitbythisweek.com | |
| - newhomesandcondo.com | |
| - uxbridgetimesjournal.com | |
| - zuza.com | |
| - spechomesads.com | |
| - orangeville.com | |
| - erinadvocate.ca | |
| - thespec.ca | |
| - thebarrieadvance.com | |
| - thespec.com | |
| - insidetoronto.com | |
| - southwesternontario.ca | |
| - thenorthbaylocal.com | |
| - northyorkmirror.ca | |
| - midlandmirror.com | |
| - thecheapest.ca | |
| - oakvillebeaver.ca | |
| - niagarafallsreview.ca | |
| - guelphlife.com | |
| - wonderlist.ca | |
| - peterboroughdaily.com | |
| - guelphlife.ca | |
| - 24hrstoronto.ca | |
| - portcolborneleader.com | |
| - torstar.ca | |
| - beachmirror.ca | |
| - theifp.ca | |
| - recordnewhomes.ca | |
| - barrieadvance.com | |
| - flamboroughpost.com | |
| - goodlifemagazine.ca | |
| - starmetrolandmedia.com | |
| - tempodigital.com | |
| - torontostarauctions.com | |
| - thecaregivershow.ca | |
| - orangevillebanner.com | |
| - toronto-star.ca | |
| - actonfreepress.com | |
| - mississauga.net | |
| - save.ca | |
| - localmatters.info | |
| - northperth.com | |
| - scarboroughmirror.ca | |
| - thetorontostar.ca | |
| - richmondhillliberal.com | |
| - wheels.ca | |
| - hamiltonmountainnews.com | |
| - enterprise-bulletin.com | |
| - pickeringnewsadvertiser.com | |
| - tsnl.com | |
| - record.ca | |
| - thedemocracyproject.net | |
| - muskokaregion.com | |
| - kemptvilleadvance.com | |
| - livecity.ca | |
| - georginaadvocate.com | |
| - thestarsport.ca | |
| - sportsplus.ca | |
| - innisfiljournal.com | |
| - hamiltonnews.com | |
| - flamboroughreview.com | |
| - thegridto.com | |
| - freshairfund.ca | |
| - bramptonguardian.com | |
| - etobicokeguardian.com | |
| - startoronto.com | |
| - canadiensatschool.com | |
| - stouffvilletribune.ca | |
| - canadianautoworld.ca | |
| - torontostar.com | |
| - canadiensalecole.ca | |
| - miltoncanadianchampion.com | |
| - torstargroup.com | |
| - kitchenerwaterloorecord.ca | |
| - yorkregion.ca | |
| - gravenhurstbanner.com | |
| - yrmg.com | |
| - dundasstarnews.com | |
| - thestartouch.com | |
| - kawarthalakesthisweek.com | |
| - wasagasun.ca | |
| - theyorkguardian.com | |
| - livingwise.ca | |
| - scarboroughmirror.com | |
| - torstar.com | |
| - waterloochronicle.ca | |
| - elmiraindependent.com | |
| - ypolitics.ca | |
| - torontostar.me | |
| - torstarmedia.com | |
| - bloorwestvillager.ca | |
| - torstargroup.ca | |
| - guelph-mercury.ca | |
| - actonfreepress.ca | |
| - northbaynipissing.ca | |
| - simcoe.com | |
| - torstar.org | |
| - staynersun.ca | |
| - starweek.ca | |
| - claringtonthisweek.com | |
| - thornhillliberal.com | |
| - brockcitizen.com | |
| - tstv.ca | |
| - torontostarclassifieds.com | |
| - mytorstar.ca | |
| - insidehalton.com | |
| - cambridgetimes.ca | |
| - almontegazette.ca | |
| - homefinder.ca | |
| - thestarsports.ca | |
| - yorkguardian.ca | |
| - torstarcorporation.ca | |
| - winefox.ca | |
| - listowelbanner.com | |
| - mississauga.com | |
| - govguide.ca | |
| - eyeweekly.com | |
| - parrysound.com | |
| - centrewellington.com | |
| - niagaraadvance.ca | |
| - mymetroland.com | |
| - brightonindependent.com | |
| - scstandard.com | |
| - scoregolf.com | |
| - metroservice.ca | |
| - torstarsyndicate.com | |
| - etobicokeguardian.ca | |
| - mykawartha.com | |
| - thespectator.ca | |
| - santaclausfund.com | |
| - thesundaystar.ca | |
| - atkinsonprinciples.ca | |
| - metrolandmediagroup.ca | |
| - insideottawavalley.com | |
| - thehamiltonspectator.com | |
| - innisfilexaminer.com | |
| - torstardigital.com | |
| - oshawathisweek.com | |
| - mississauganews.com | |
| - kingconnection.ca | |
| - torstarmedia.ca | |
| - flyercentre.ca | |
| - niagaraadvance.com | |
| - muskokalifemagazine.com | |
| - atkinsononline.org | |
| - therecord.com | |
| - halifaxstar.com | |
| - thetorontostar.com | |
| - perthcourier.com | |
| - yourclassifieds.ca | |
| - riverdalemirror.ca | |
| - grandmagazine.ca | |
| - skbailey.com | |
| - torontostarlink.ca | |
| - ajaxnewsadvertiser.com | |
| - goldbook.ca | |
| - thetorontostar.org | |
| - thisweekinrealestate.ca | |
| - insidetoronto.ca | |
| - hamiltonspectator.com | |
| - carletonplacecanadian.ca | |
| - atkinsonprinciples.org | |
| - t-o.ca | |
| - getthespec.ca | |
| - georgetownindependent.ca | |
| - newmarketera.com | |
| - newinhomes.ca | |
| - metrolandnorthmedia.com | |
| - kitchener-waterloo.ca | |
| - parrysoundnorthstar.com | |
| - thekit.ca | |
| - yourhome.ca | |
| - muskokaregion.ca | |
| - thestar.mobi | |
| - tocontests.com | |
| - durhamregion.com | |
| - guelphmercurytribune.com | |
| - lifenews.ca | |
| - atkinsonfoundation.org | |
| - theliberal.ca | |
| - thetorontostar.net | |
| - inportnews.com | |
| - thelocalnews.ca | |
| - almaguinnews.com | |
| - ourwindsor.ca | |
| - metrolandwebservices.com | |
| - metroland.ca | |
| - starmetromedia.ca | |
| - lekit.ca | |
| - niagaradailies.com | |
| - torontostar.biz | |
| - orilliatoday.ca | |
| - torontostartravel.ca | |
| - livedeal.ca | |
| - smithsfallsrecordnews.com | |
| - torontonews.ca | |
| - thebarrieexaminer.com | |
| - collingwoodconnection.com | |
| - renfrewmercury.ca | |
| - brightonindependent.ca | |
| - peterboroughthisweek.com | |
| - themississauganews.com | |
| - glanbrookgazette.com | |
| - democracyprojectmetroland.com | |
| - starmetrolandmedia.ca | |
| - nationalbridalshow.com | |
| - torontostarclassifieds.ca | |
| - torstar.co | |
| - thereaderschoice.ca | |
| - egexpress.ca | |
| - portperrystar.com | |
| - metronews.ca | |
| - almontegazette.com | |
| - torstar.net | |
| - gettherecord.ca | |
| - canadianimmigrant.ca | |
| - tsnl.net | |
| - nordstarcapital.ca | |
| - wellandtribune.ca | |
| - simpofly.ca | |
| - hamiltonspectator.ca | |
| - tsscontent.ca | |
| - arnpriorchronicleguide.ca | |
| - caregivershow.ca | |
| - wingham.com | |
| - newhamburgindependent.ca | |
| - northumberlandnews.com | |
| - bradfordtopic.com | |
| - mintoexpress.com | |
| - innisfilexaminer.ca | |
| - starmetromedia.com | |
| - torstarlocal.ca | |
| - theetobicokeguardian.com | |
| - erinadvocate.com | |
| - ottawastar.ca | |
| - pelhamnews.ca | |
| - aurorabanner.com | |
| - thestar.bet | |
| - georgetownindependent.com | |
| - metroland.com | |
| - zuza.ca | |
| - theboltonenterprise.ca | |
| - thekitcollab.ca | |
| - atkinsononline.ca | |
| - kitchenerwaterloo.ca | |
| - thesaturdaystar.ca | |
| - thetorontolocal.com | |
| - tsw.ca | |
| - torontosports.ca | |
| - worldofwheelsmagazine.com | |
| - perthcourier.ca | |
| - muskokan.com | |
| - carletonplacecanadian.com | |
| - eastofthecity.com | |
| - ancasternews.com | |
| - walkerton.com | |
| - cyberblue.ca | |
| - torstarmarketing.com | |
| - metrolanddigital.com | |
| - stcatharinesstandard.ca | |
| - huntsvilleforester.com | |
| - caledonenterprise.com | |
| - specauctions.com | |
| - guelphtribune.ca | |
| - sachem.com | |
| - northumberlandtoday.com | |
| - grimsbylincolnnews.com | |
| - torontostar.ca | |
| - stoneycreeknews.com | |
| - westofthecity.com | |
| - hamiltonspectator.net | |
| - arnpriorchronicleguide.com | |
| - burlingtonpost.ca | |
| - markhameconomist.com | |
| - recordauctions.ca | |
| - waterlooregion.ca | |
| - guelphmercurytribune.ca | |
| - canadiensalecole.com | |
| - themississauganews.ca | |
| - parrysoundbeaconstar.com | |
| - torontostar.net | |
| - yrmg.ca | |
| - metrolandstore.com | |
| - northbaynipissing.com | |
| - kitchenerpost.ca | |
| - algonquinlife.ca | |
| - forteriepost.com | |
| - kemptvilleadvance.ca | |
| - kwrecord.ca | |
| - guelphmercury.ca | |
| - thestar.dev | |
| - togetherlocal.ca | |
| - metrolandmedia.ca | |
| - mississauganews.ca | |
| - santaclausfund.ca | |
| - simpofly.com | |
| - forterietimes.com | |
| - niagarathisweek.com | |
| - thekawarthan.com | |
| - dailystar.ca | |
| - canadianstatesman.com | |
| - torstarcorpaws.net | |
| - boltonenterprise.ca | |
| - miltoncanadianchampion.ca | |
| - theenterprisebulletin.com | |
| - thebramptonguardian.com | |
| - independentfreepress.com | |
| - portperrystar.ca | |
| - metrolandmedia.com | |
| - yourtoronto.ca | |
| - durhamregion.ca | |
| - inportnews.ca | |
| - thepeterboroughexaminer.com | |
| - torontostarauctions.ca | |
| - torstar.biz | |
| - metrolandwest.com | |
| - stouffvillesun.com | |
| - sachem.ca | |
| - kitchener-waterloorecord.ca | |
| - bramptonguardian.ca | |
| - independentfreepress.ca | |
| - torontostarsports.ca | |
| - torstarcorp.net | |
| - oakvillebeaver.com | |
| - thestar.ca | |
| - metrolandmediagroup.com | |
| - thetopic.ca | |
| - thegrand.ca | |
| - atkinsonfdn.on.ca | |
| - stouffvilletribune.com | |
| - toronto.com | |