In what seems like an eerily dystopian turn of events, Facebook has announced that it has struck some licensing deals with Universal Music Group and Sony/ATV, and even the international licensing group and copyright database ICE.
Now the most immediate ramifications for Facebook users, and even Instagram users and the few of us who own Oculus Rifts, will be that users are now allowed to legally add songs from such record labels to their videos, i.e. “an acoustic cover version, or a party video with Cardi B playing in the background.” Facebook will now pay out the royalties to the rightsholders.
That being said, we don’t know if straight up uploads of full songs, such as lyrics videos on YouTube, will be covered under the new setup, but regardless it’ll be easier for users to post content with copyrighted music without having to deal with pesky takedowns and notices.
“This partnership is an important first step demonstrating that innovation and fair compensation for music creators are mutually reinforcing – they thrive together,” Michael Nash, executive vice president of digital strategy at Universal Music Group, said in a statement.
Apparently, the Fortune Times also speculates that this is the first move in a larger Facebook push toward music, a move that could also include a deal with Vevo to host its library of 250,000 music videos, or even a Facebook streaming service down the road.
One analyst figured Facebook might be interested because of the relatively low potential for controversy: “Aside from the occasional Norwegian death metal band, this is very safe.”
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