On Monday, Meta introduced a new feature that allows producers to monetize Facebook videos that include music from prominent musicians such as Post Malone and Tove Lo. Meta may be able to reassure the music business that it takes copyright infringement seriously by rewarding authors to stay inside the legal limitations of music used on its platforms.
Creators will have access to a library of music licenced by Meta and will be able to monetize videos with licenced music with advertisements. The creators will then receive a 20% portion of the ad revenue, with the remainder split between Meta and the music rights holders. However, there are some ground restrictions in the new system: qualified videos must be at least one minute long, and music cannot be the primary objective of the video. It is also not applicable to Reels.
YouTube also provides users with access to a licenced music library, but there are no pop toppers here – it’s primarily background music. While those who utilise music without permission must attend “Copyright School” or have their channels removed, others can leave their videos up as long as the copyright holder receives the ad money. In that instance, it does not appear that the creator receives any compensation.
Meta’s declaration follows two events that highlight the company’s conflict with the music industry. Over the weekend, music publisher Kobalt told its writers and collaborators that its licence agreement with Meta had expired and that it was in the process of removing 700,000 songs by artists such as The Weeknd and Paul McCartney from Facebook and Instagram. Kobalt did not give a particular reason in a memo acquired by Music Business Worldwide, but did state that “basic issues remained that we were unable to settle in your best interests.”
Epidemic Sound, a Swedish music company that licences background music and sound effects for creator material, sued Meta last week. Epidemic Sound says that 1,000 of its works have been uploaded and utilised without a licence on Meta’s platforms. “Meta has created tools—Original Audio and Reels Remix—that encourage and allow its users to steal Epidemic’s music from another user’s posted video content and use it in their own subsequent videos, resulting in exponential infringements on Meta’s platform at Meta’s hands,” according to the complaint. Meta did not respond to the case.
Meta’s new tool for selling music-enhanced videos does not address music consumption in Reels, but it may entice artists away from copyright violations by offering them a piece of the pie. Unlicensed music videos may be muted or prohibited, and persistent offenders may have their accounts revoked.
