Meta and Universal Music Group (UMG) Expand Global Agreement to Allow Sharing of Licensed Music on Meta Platforms
In a groundbreaking move, Meta and Universal Music Group (UMG) have announced an expanded multi-year music licensing agreement that allows users to share songs from UMG’s extensive music library across Meta’s platforms like Facebook, Instagram, Horizon, Threads, and WhatsApp without infringing on copyright laws. This partnership aims to address the issue of unauthorized AI-generated content, which has been a growing concern for artists and songwriters as AI systems scrape songs without their consent.
UMG's Chief Digital Officer, Michael Nash, expressed the importance of protecting artists' and songwriters' rights by addressing unauthorized AI-generated content in the agreement. This collaboration comes after TikTok's dispute with UMG earlier this year, highlighting the industry's concerns about AI and online safety.
The recent lawsuit filed by the Recording Industry Association of America against music generation startups Udio and Suno for training their AI models using copyrighted music further emphasizes the need for regulations in the AI music space. Meta claims to take an ethical approach by only releasing generative AI models trained with Meta-owned or licensed music, such as AudioCraft, MusicGen, and Jasco.
Notably, this agreement allows WhatsApp users to share licensed music from UMG within the messaging app for the first time. It also includes Threads, a social networking app owned by Meta, and a direct competitor to Twitter.
The collaboration between Meta and UMG dates back to 2017 when they first partnered to allow Facebook users to upload and share videos featuring UMG's music catalog. This expanded agreement signifies a significant step towards protecting artists' rights and regulating AI-generated content in the music industry.
In conclusion, this partnership between Meta and UMG not only benefits users by enabling them to share licensed music seamlessly but also sets a precedent for addressing unauthorized AI-generated content in the digital music landscape. It highlights the importance of protecting artists' and songwriters' rights in the age of AI technology and emphasizes the need for ethical practices in the development and use of AI models in the music industry.