All about copyright, understanding music licensing, and government regulations.
Human review of voice assistant recordings has been a fiery topic of late, and actions are already being taken to improve privacy for their users. Apple announced that it will globally suspend its grading program, while Google has stopped the practice in Europe. Continue Reading
After all three of the main developers of voice assistant platforms have faced privacy breaches, either through whistleblowers or through human or mechanical errors, a member of Congress is moving to address the risks to consumers. Rep. Seth Moulton (D-Mass.) has introduced a new act that would give people recourse for when smart speakers and smart doorbells collect data in violation of their terms of agreements. Continue Reading
YouTube is making some adjustments to its Content ID platform. The new changes are related to manual claims in the system for copyrighted audio. While they may make things clearer for people making content for YouTube, copyright holders will have an additional step to take. Continue Reading
Merlin has entered an agreement with Jaxsta, an Australia-based business specializing in technology and music credits. Under the terms of the commercial data access agreement, the global indie label and rights management network will provide Jaxsta with official data about the music creations of its members. Continue Reading
The U.S. Copyright Office has made an important step forward in enacting the provisions passed by the Music Modernization Act last fall. The office selected the group led by the National Music Publishers Association to manage the creation and operation of the Mechanical Licensing Collective. Continue Reading
Spotify’s interactions with publishers and songwriters have gotten even more complicated, with the streaming service claiming that it overpaid on mechanical royalties in 2018. The Copyright Royalty Board issued its mechanical royalty payment rates in December 2018 after the music platform had already paid out almost a full year under a different rate scheme. Continue Reading
The U.S. Department of Justice has officially opened a new review of the consent decrees governing ASCAP and BMI. Both performance rights organizations have operated their copyright management systems under these rules for more than 75 years. The review will examine whether the decrees should continue in their current state, receive modifications, or be ended entirely. Continue Reading
Dubset, a company offering rights management and royalties services, has secured a new partnership with Pioneer DJ. The deal will allow DJs to clear mixes and sets for select streaming services through the DJM-REC iOS app. Continue Reading
The RIAA has been doggedly continuing its legal fight against piracy, and has made progress in identifying the operators of stream-ripping sites. The trade group recently collaborated with Music Canada and the IFPI to force illegal file-hosting service DBR.ee offline. Continue Reading
Music royalty collection services company Songtrust announced that Lara Baker has joined its team as director of business development for the UK and Ireland. She will report to Molly Neuman, the company’s global head of business development. Continue Reading
Several tech and music companies have been named in a new lawsuit that aims to tackle digital distribution of unauthorized recordings. The legal action was brought by the estate of Harold Arlen, a legendary composer best known for the classic “Over the Rainbow” from The Wizard of Oz. Continue Reading
Spotify’s launch in India’s listening market has proceeded with good news this year, but has reportedly hit a stumbling point in its negotiation with Saregama, India’s oldest record label. Continue Reading