In cases where ANS Music identifies any rights infringement and/or violations of DSP Terms of Use post distribution, ANS Music will act in the following manner:
- Notify you and identify the specific assets related to the potential violation.
- Indicate the specific type of violation.
- Withhold all relevant royalties until evidence is provided that no violation was committed
Please find below the various types of violations which ANS Music identifies and what actions are required on your part if you do not contest the violation.
ARTIST IMPOSTURE
Artist imposture involves presenting the artist(s) in a misleading way. This can include slight modifications to the artist’s name or other deceptive tactics designed to create confusion.
- Action Required: Remove corresponding content unless the uploading account can provide ample evidence that they are the legitimate artist or rights holder. This may include requesting identification, proof of original creation, confirmation via official social media accounts, or other documentation that verifies their claims. If your client cannot provide such proof within 3 work days, then please take down the associated releases. Please note that a failure to take down infringing material within a maximum of 5 days can lead ANS Music to fine your account $10 per release.
- Withholding Policy: Revenue will be withheld until the uploader can conclusively demonstrate they are the real artist or have the proper rights to the content.
QUESTIONABLE OWNERSHIP
There is reason to suspect that the account may not be the legitimate rights holder of the content being uploaded. While the metadata associated with the content may appear accurate, the uploader’s identity or rights to the content are in doubt.
- Action Required: Investigate the account’s releases thoroughly and request documentation that proves the uploader’s rights to the music. Independently locate confirmed, official DSP or social media accounts of the artist, and ask the client to add some distinctive text or mark on their profile. Once ANS Music receives this confirmation, the text/mark can be removed. If your client cannot provide such proof within 3 work days, then please take down the associated releases. Please note that a failure to take down infringing material within a maximum of 5 days can lead ANS Music to fine your account $10 per release.
- Withholding Policy: Revenue will remain withheld until the uploader can provide evidence confirming their ownership or rights to the content.
SOUND RECORDING FRAUD
The audio file does not match the provided metadata. This can include situations where the audio file is completely unrelated to the claimed track or where misleading metadata is used to misrepresent the content.
- Action Required: Verify the accuracy of the audio file against the provided metadata. Check for any discrepancies, such as different artists, tracks, or albums than those claimed. Request the uploader to provide proof of ownership and correct any discrepancies in the metadata. If your client cannot provide such documentation within 3 work days, then please take down the associated releases. Please note that a failure to take down infringing material within a maximum of 5 days can lead ANS Music to fine your account $10 per release.
- Withholding Policy: Revenue will remain withheld until the discrepancies are resolved and the uploader provides evidence that the audio file matches the metadata.
NEEDS REMIX/SAMPLE LICENSE
A track includes at least one component (such as vocals, melody, or a sampled section) of a copyrighted song without obtaining the required licensing permissions from the original rights holders. This applies to all forms of derivative works, including remixes, mashups, etc.. Alterations like speeding up, slowing down, or creating lo-fi versions also necessitate licensing from the relevant rights holder. Without proper licenses, such adaptations can result in copyright infringement.
- Action Required: Ensure the client has necessary licenses for any copyrighted elements used in the track, and forward the documentation to ANS Music for review. If your client cannot provide such documentation within 3 work days, then please take down the associated releases. Please note that a failure to take down infringing material within a maximum of 5 days can lead ANS Music to fine your account $10 per release.
- Withholding Policy: Revenue will be withheld until proof of proper licensing for all sampled or derivative elements is provided.
ARTIFICIAL STREAMING
We’ve detected that the streams for a track seem to have been artificially generated, such as through bots or other fraudulent methods, rather than coming from genuine listeners.
- Action Required: Discuss the matter with your client to identify the cause for the artificial streams.
- If you believe that your client knowingly engaged in artificial streaming and/or this is a repeat incident after you had previously warned them about retaining stream boosting services, you should terminate their account immediately and take down all their content.
- If you believe that your client was fooled by a marketing/playlisting service pretending to legitimately boost their streams, warn your client that such services are almost always a scam to always first check with you before using such a service (you can then enquire with ANS Music whether the service is known to be a legitimate one or not). If your client can confirm that they have ceased their campaign, you may leave the related releases live on the impacted DSPs.
- If your client claims that they were added to a playlist without their knowledge and/or against their will, and that they are unable to have their tracks removed from these playlists, please notify ANS Music and provide: the ISRCs of the related tracks and the playlist(s) URL(s).
- Withholding Policy: Aside from extreme cases where ANS Music has cause to believe that your client is willfully engaging in artificial streaming, ANS Music will only withhold the royalties of the violative releases from the DSP(s) that has/have been targeted for artificial streaming. Royalties from other DSPs and/or for other releases will not be withheld.
INAPPROPRIATE FOR UGC DSPS
The audio file does not meet the specific guidelines set by User Generated Content Digital Service Providers (UGC DSPs: Facebook Rights Manager, Snap, TikTok, Twitch and YouTube Content ID). These platforms have detailed requirements for the content they accept, including how it interacts with their content identification systems. For example, some audio files, such as royalty-free beats, can create fingerprints that may inadvertently cause copyright claims on similar sections of other recordings.
- Action Required: Remove the audio file from UGC DSPs immediately unless your client can provide proof that their recording complies with all UGC DSP requirements. If your client cannot provide such documentation within 3 work days, then please take down the associated releases. Please note that a failure to take down infringing material within a maximum of 5 days can lead ANS Music to fine your account $10 per release.
- Withholding Policy: Royalties generated on UGC DSPs will be withheld unless the asset is deemed appropriate for these DSPs.
CID VIOLATION (YOUTUBE SPECIFIC)
The track is engaging in parasitic behavior by exploiting the popularity of unrelated third-party content to gain views and claims. This practice directly violates YouTube Content ID’s Monetization Policy, as it misuses the system to gain unjust benefits rather than representing genuine User-Generated Content (UGC). Even if the content is related (e.g., a compilation of similar music tracks), it must be true UGC and not a manipulated attempt to leverage the popularity of other content.
- Action Required: Take down the related assets from YouTube Content ID unless this has already been done. Warn your client about these violations and ask them to familiarize themselves with YouTube Content ID’s Monetization Policy and to abide by it.
- Withholding Policy: Royalties earned from YouTube Content ID from parasitic behavior will be withheld.
FRAUDULENT ACCOUNT
An account that consistently violates guidelines or engages in suspicious activities may indicate that the user is not a genuine artist or rights holder. This casts doubt on the legitimacy of all content associated with the account.
- Action Required: Examine all content uploaded by the account for unlicensed samples or suspicious metadata. Verify that your client can provide valid proof of ownership or rights for the content. Based on your findings, decide whether to continue working with the client, request additional documentation, or remove the content. If your client cannot deny that significant portions of their catalog are infringing and/or that a few of their assets have engaged in significant rights or DSP Terms of Use violations, then please terminate the account and take down the associated releases. Please note that a failure to take down infringing material within a maximum of 5 days can lead ANS Music to fine your account $10 per release.
- Withholding Policy: Revenue will remain withheld unless the account is cleared of suspicion.
