Facebook issues statement explaining livestream licensing rules that could prevent DJs from playing music

Facebook has released a statement explaining its licensing rules on “music listening experiences”, Dummy has reported.

Livestreaming DJs will mostly be impacted by the music guidelines, which prohibit the use of “music for commercial or non-personal purposes” without the “obtained appropriate licenses.” While a Facebook spokesperson has noted that these rules have been in place since 2018, the statement clarifies the limitations of the “music listening experiences” term, which has sparked confusion among artists using the platform.

“As part of our licensing agreements, there are limitations around the amount of recorded music that can be included in Live broadcasts or videos. While the specifics of our licensing agreements are confidential, today we’re sharing some general guidelines to help you plan your videos better,” they said.

Brief clips of music in stories and live performances of one’s own material is permitted. “The greater the number of full-length recorded tracks in a video, the more likely it may be limited,” they explain. “Shorter clips of music are recommended. There should always be a visual component to your video; recorded audio should not be the primary purpose of the video.”

They added, “These guidelines are consistent across live and recorded video on both Facebook and Instagram, and for all types of accounts—i.e. pages, profiles, verified and unverified accounts”

The statement comes ahead of a set of new terms and conditions that the social media giant will put into effect next month.