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Apple Music Hikes Streaming Fraud Fines by 100%
30 Jan
Summary
- Apple Music doubles penalties for streaming fraud starting Sunday.
- Fraudulent streams could cost artists $17 million annually.
- AI music's rise fuels significant increases in streaming fraud.
Apple Music is significantly increasing its penalties against streaming fraud, doubling fines for content providers caught engaging in manipulation. This aggressive stance aims to eliminate fraudulent streams from the platform. Last year alone, Apple Music identified and demonetized approximately 2 billion fraudulent streams, representing nearly $17 million in royalties that would have been unfairly diverted from legitimate artists.
The updated policy, effective starting Sunday, doubles previous fines. These penalties, calculated as a percentage of the fraudulent royalties, now range from 10% to a cap of 50%. This measure is particularly timely as the rise of AI-generated music has dramatically amplified the problem across the industry. Services like Deezer report tens of thousands of AI songs uploaded daily, with a substantial portion of their streams found to be fraudulent.
Apple Music emphasizes its commitment to quality, investing heavily in technology to validate every stream. While overall fraud rates are kept low, the sheer volume of manipulated streams, including those boosted by AI content, necessitates stronger deterrents. The company believes these increased penalties will effectively redirect funds back to legitimate creators and maintain the integrity of the music ecosystem.
