Meta Sound Recording & Reference File Policy
Policy Overview
This policy sets out the requirements for delivering music assets to Rights Manager and Meta’s music products. Unlike other music services, Meta supports multiple music experiences across products which require strict asset compliance to make them operable.
Sound Recording and Reference File Policy
Meta uses licensed music in two key ways:
- Sound recording reference files which match against music in user uploaded content
- Music which is discoverable and made available for use in Meta products via Audio Library
To ensure that music is correctly matched and made available in product, rightsholders must only deliver sound reference files and Audio Library content in which they own and/or control exclusive rights for the applicable territories.
Failure to comply with this requirement could result in:
- Reference conflicts
- Ineligible content cases
- Poor in-product user discovery experiences
- Inaccurate reporting and usage data
Content being uploaded to Meta products must meet all of the following content standards. Any uploaded content that does not meet these standards may be subject to ineligible content enforcement penalties, such as: preventing matching, demonetization, or deletion.
Ineligible Content Types
Meta classifies Ineligible Content as sound recordings that are not music, music that is not sufficiently distinct from other reference files, and/or music that is not owned or controlled by the rightsholder. Ineligible Content types include:
Content that is not music
Where the Sound Recording does not embody a musical composition / musical work and incorrectly matches with user generated content.
Sound Effects (SFX)
A sound effect (or audio effect) is a live or artificially created or enhanced sound which contains no melodic or harmonic content associated with a musical work.
Spoken Word / Speech
Sound Recordings that consist entirely of voice or dialogue that does not carry a melody.
Podcasts / Radio Shows / Album Commentary
Recorded interviews, description or programming, inclusive and exclusive of musical content.
Music that is unauthorized for distribution
Sound Recordings, seeking to imitate and infringe on the original copyright of musical works and recordings
Sound-a-likes
Sound-a-likes are recorded works, seeking to imitate and infringe on the original copyright of musical works and recordings; for example a recording made available using the name or likeness of the original artist, where the sound-a-like artist is “passing themselves off” as the original artist or a recording titled in a manner which implies that the sound-a-like is authorized or recorded by the rightsholder label, an affiliate or the original artist. This is not to be confused with covers that are produced and distributed under license of the original copyright owner.
Illegitimate Tracks
Content that likely infringes the rights of others by using their sound recordings either in its entirety or a section of the original track without licensing or owning the rights to that original composition. This includes slowed down, reverbed, sped up, sampled versions, and unauthorized use within generative AI music.
Unauthorized DJ & Extended Mixes
Mixes of unauthorized content that is made up of multiple distinct sound recordings played sequentially.
Music that is ineligible for monetization
Where the sound recording is not sufficiently distinct from other reference files and Rights Manager is unable to accurately match and report these assets back to rightsholders.
Production Library Music
A.k.a, stock music; licensed for use in film, television, radio or online. Including soundbeds, incidental scores, production loops, royalty free music, non-exclusively licensed (for a fee or gratis), with the intention of being used as background music for user generated content. Original scores and soundtracks are excluded from this category.
Public Domain
A work is considered to be within the public domain if the publishing (composition) and the sound recording (master) copyrights have expired and can be used, modified or reworked without the need of a license.
Insufficiently Distinct Recordings
Recordings where the music is insufficiently distinct from other legitimate sound recordings or where recordings of public domain compositions are indistinguishable.
Ambient, Meditation, Yoga or Sleep Music
Sound Recordings created using soundscapes and sound effects with little to no melody intended to be used as background music in spas, meditation and public spaces.
Karaoke Recordings
Backing tracks of popular records recreated by a different rightsholder with most, if not all, vocal and lyrical content removed. This category includes Karaoke tracks delivered by the original copyright owner and excludes Instrumental versions of tracks.
Duration
Audio that exceeds the limit of 10 minutes in duration. If any single song from an album exceeds the limit of 10 minutes, the whole album would not be delivered to Facebook.
Detection
If Meta determines that the majority of a label’s (or sub-label’s) catalog is Ineligible Content, that label (or sub-label) may be subject to Meta’s Ineligible Content enforcement policies, without prior notice, which may include (i) deleting all of such label’s (or sub-label’s) content, (ii) preventing such label (or sub-label) from matching any of its content to user content, (iii) demonetizing such label’s (or sub-label’s) content, and/or (iv) not ingesting such label’s (or sublabel’s) content on a going forward basis.
For the content already delivered: We will continue monitoring your catalog and, if further activity is identified, we reserve the right to take further proactive measures to address this or take down the content.