At the intersection of digital music and social media, Meta (formerly Facebook) and Universal Music Group (UMG) have taken a significant step in copyright protection. On Monday, the two parties announced an extension to their long-standing music licensing agreement, which not only strengthens copyright protection but also introduces new solutions for the application of AI technology in the music industry.
Under the new agreement, users can freely share songs from UMG's music library across multiple Meta platforms, including Facebook, Instagram, Horizon, Threads, and WhatsApp. This change ensures that users can enjoy music without inadvertently violating copyright laws.
Image source: The picture is generated by AI, authorized by the picture service provider Midjourney
The most notable aspect of the new agreement is its direct approach to the issue of "unauthorized AI-generated content." With the development of AI technology, artists and songwriters are increasingly facing issues of AI-generated counterfeit works and their works being used by AI companies for training models without the consent of the original creators.
Michael Nash, Chief Digital Officer and Executive Vice President of Universal Music Group, expressed his expectation to continue collaborating with Meta to address AI-generated content issues that may affect artists and songwriters, ensuring that UMG can continue to protect their current and future rights.
This cooperation follows a dispute between TikTok and UMG. Earlier this year, UMG's music catalog was temporarily removed from the TikTok platform, but a settlement was reached in May, allowing UMG-affiliated artists' music to return to TikTok.
Meta claims to have adopted an ethical approach to AI music, releasing generative AI models trained only on "music owned and specially licensed by Meta." However, there are concerns that Meta's AudioCraft could be misused to create deepfakes of someone's voice.
The new agreement also allows WhatsApp users to share UMG-licensed music within the instant messaging app for the first time. Additionally, it includes Threads, Meta's social network application and a direct competitor to Twitter.
Meta and UMG initially partnered in 2017, marking the first time a major music company allowed Facebook users to upload and share songs from its music catalog, ushering in a new era of collaboration between social media and the music industry.