Due to the ambiguity of Facebook’s recent announcement that they would begin strictly enforcing certain policies regarding videos and copyrighted music (policies which have been in place since 2018), there has been a lot of consternation on the part of musical acts who use the platform for livestreamed performances. Most of this focuses on key wording which seems to indicate that FB will delete offending videos and/or resort to deleting bands’ official FB pages entirely.
FB finally sent out an emissary to clarify things and, if the language used is to be believed, we can all rest easy. In an article posted 12 Sep 2020 over at NME, a representative for FB clarifies that these policies are aimed towards “Facebook users including music in videos and livestreams to which they do not own the copyright,” and that it “will not affect artists using the site to livestream gigs or share their music.”
There are a lot of worrying things about Facebook (which, like most others, TGEFM also still uses to propagate our posts) but it appears that, unless you’re putting RATM songs as a backdrop to your carwash video, or are a DJ standing around livestreaming yourself playing records; you’re likely in the clear.
This is a developing story, and updates may be forthcoming as new information arises.
the white drew carey (aka – Jeff Sorley) is the founder and head editor of TGEFM. He’s lived (outside of) Chicago, Madison WI, (ugh) Penn State, Lyon FR, Oxford UK, central New Jersey, and now within earshot of SFO in the Bay Area. When not scouring the web for more great bands and labels to post about, he also spends time drawing (mostly) silly sci-fi and anime stuff under the name Asplenia Studios.
