Social media platforms are becoming a battleground for music copyright disputes. As tunes become a key part of digital content companies are facing legal challenges for using songs without permission.
Recently‚ Sony Music took on Marriott International in a big lawsuit. The music giant claims Marriott used hundreds of songs without paying in their social media videos (this includes posts by influencers and franchise hotels). Sony wants a lot of money – over $139 million – and wants Marriott to stop using the music.
This isnt the only case like this. Other companies such as Gymshark‚ Major League Soccer‚ and OFRA Cosmetics have been sued for similar reasons. Even small uses can cause trouble: a minor league baseball team got in hot water for playing “Space Jam“ in the background of a Facebook video.
Using music in videos isnt simple. There are two types of rights to think about: the song itself and the recording. Usually‚ you need a “synch license“ to use music with video. Without it‚ you could be in trouble for copyright infringement.
The punishments can be tough. Courts can make you pay between $750 to $150‚000 for each song you use without permission. They might even make you take down all your content with that music.
Companies have some ways to defend themselves. They can try to show they had permission‚ argue its “fair use“ or that the use was too small to matter. Thereʼs also a time limit on when people can sue‚ but its complicated.
To stay safe companies should:
- Make sure all music is properly licensed
- Use software to check for problems
- Give influencers only approved music to use
- Keep track of when licenses expire
- Be careful even with background music
Social media has changed how we share music‚ but itʼs also made things more complicated legally. Companies need to be extra careful to avoid expensive mistakes