Facebook and Universal Music Group have agreed to sign a multi-year licensing agreement to allow users to upload music in their videos. The agreement will cover Instagram and Oculus, and will allow users on those platforms to upload and share videos containing music from UMG’s artists without being removed due to copyright violations.
This new deal will help address major concerns of copyright infringement around music on all of the respective platforms. Facebook says that this is the first important step in the right direction, and they will continue to work with UMG to introduce “music-based products” on its platform from here on out.
While UMG may be the first to strike a licensing deal with Facebook, they definitely won’t be the last. Multiple sources have said that Facebook has been in talks with Sony Music Group and Warner Music Group in potential licensing deals as well.
