Facebook users may soon be able to upload their own videos with any song they choose, as the social network has reportedly offered hundreds of millions of dollars to major record labels and music publishers to make it happen.
The move, if it pushes through, will allow Facebook to step up its challenge against YouTube as the top destination for uploading music videos and other content that includes copyright-protected songs.
Facebook Videos With Music
Currently, Facebook users who upload videos that include copyright-protected music, whether as its main focus or even just as background audio, will see their content taken down. This is because Facebook has a system in place that allows copyright holders to request videos with cases of infringement to be removed from the social network.
Facebook promised that it will create a system that will automatically identify and tag videos that infringe on music copyrights, as the company has negotiated with copyright holders for a solution over the past months. However, such a system might take two years to set up.
Facebook is now offering to pay hundreds of millions of dollars to music copyright holders to make things happen for everyone. Users will no longer be frustrated by their videos being taken down because they contained music, partners will not have to chase after infringing material on the social network, and advertisers will be safe from possible legal issues.
Facebook vs YouTube
Facebook is making these moves just as it launched the new Watch tab to all users in the United States.
The Facebook Watch tab is dedicated to showcasing original content created for the social network while also featuring videos from other sources. The tab will become personalized as it learns about the user's habits and preferences on watching videos.
The aggressive push into video is part of Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg's plan to draw video advertising dollars away from the likes of YouTube and into the social network. With the video-focused Watch tab and the rights to copyrighted content secured, Facebook could grow into the top online destination for online media.
Other Facebook News
Facebook's plan for video is just one of the many recent news on the company, as the social network continues to expand its presence and influence.
Facebook stepped up its fight against fake news by banning pages that share them from purchasing advertisements on the social network. Zuckerberg, meanwhile, promised that hate groups will be shut down, and harmful content will be removed in Facebook in the aftermath of the events at Charlottesville, Virginia.
On the other side of the world, Facebook might have found a way to sneak its banned app into China. An app, named Colorful Balloons, looks and functions like the Moments app of Facebook but was released by a local company to slip through regulations.
