Posting videos with music on Facebook can be tricky when it comes to copyright issues. Music is often copyrighted, and if you don’t have the rights to use a particular song, your video may get blocked or taken down. However, there are some ways to legally post videos with music on Facebook without worrying about copyright problems.
Get permission to use the song
The simplest way to avoid copyright issues is to get permission from the artist or label to use their music. You can contact them directly to license the song for your video. There are also stock music sites like AudioJungle where you can purchase a license to use a song in your video. This gives you 100% legal clearance to use the track on sites like Facebook.
Use music from Facebook’s Sound Collection
Facebook offers a Sound Collection with thousands of audio tracks you can use for free in your videos. These songs have been pre-cleared by Facebook so you don’t have to worry about copyright problems. Just search for a mood or genre on Facebook’s Sound Collection and you can browse tracks to find one that fits your video.
Use cover songs legally
Cover songs can be posted on Facebook as long as you have the mechanical rights to recreate and publish the composition. You obtain mechanical rights by contacting the publisher and getting a compulsory mechanical license. Covers must sound significantly different from the original recording to avoid infringing on the copyright of the original sound recording.
Use music marked as Creative Commons
Many artists release music under a Creative Commons license, which allows others to reuse it for free under certain conditions like crediting the artist. Sites like Free Music Archive, Jamendo, and ccMixter offer Creative Commons music you can legally use if you comply with the license terms. Just check that the specific license allows for commercial use.
Use music from free stock sites
There are lots of free stock music sites like Free Stock Music, Bensound, and Free Music Archive that allow you to use songs and instrumental tracks at no cost. Just check the license terms to confirm the music is free for commercial use on Facebook. The quality may not be as high as licensed music, but it’s legal to use.
Use very short snippets of songs
You can get away with using a few seconds of a copyrighted song without permission under fair use laws. This is still a bit of a gray area, so try to keep it under 10 seconds just to be safe. The short snippet should also be highly modified from the original. Don’t rely too heavily on fair use exceptions.
Mute the audio and add your own soundtrack
You can make a music video lookalike by muting the audio in the video clip and adding your own soundtrack over it. This allows you to insert yourself singing or overlay music you have the rights to use without infringing on the copyright of the original video.
Add commentary over the music
If you talk over the music in a video, providing commentary, criticism, or education, it’s more likely to be considered fair use. Having a voiceover that adds value above just the music makes it transformative. Just don’t play long uninterrupted portions of the song.
| Music Source | Cost | Legal Risk |
|---|---|---|
| Licensed from artist/label | High | Low |
| Facebook Sound Collection | Free | Low |
| Cover song license | Low | Low |
| Creative Commons music | Free | Low |
| Free stock music | Free | Low |
| Short snippet of song | Free | Medium |
| Mute and overlay | Free | Low |
| Commentary voiceover | Free | Low |
YouTube’s Content ID system
One issue to be aware of is that Facebook uses YouTube’s Content ID system to scan for copyrighted material. So even if you properly licensed a song, if the copyright holder hasn’t added it to Content ID, it may still get flagged. This doesn’t necessarily mean your video will be taken down, but the copyright holder may be able to monetize your video by placing ads on it.
Disputing copyright claims
If you get a copyright notice on Facebook, you can dispute it if you have permission to use the content. Provide details on how you have the rights to the music and this may resolve the issue. If you filed a dispute and the claim was still upheld, you can submit an appeal to Facebook as a last resort. But make sure you are completely in the legal right, or your appeal will likely fail.
Blocking videos with certain songs
Some copyright holders are very strict about enforcing their music rights. This means if you try to post a video with a popular song, it will almost certainly get blocked or restricted. Songs from top artists like Taylor Swift, Ed Sheeran, and U2 are risky to use without permission and will likely get caught by Content ID. Stick to lesser known music if you want to avoid blocks.
Geographic copyright restrictions
The rights to a song may be different in different countries. For example, you could have permission to use a song in videos in the U.S. but that permission might not extend to other countries. This means your video could get blocked in certain locations. Try to get worldwide rights if you are posting videos globally.
Penalties for copyright infringement
If you use copyrighted music without proper permission or fair use rights, you could face serious legal and financial consequences. Copyright holders can issue a takedown notice forcing Facebook to remove your video. You may also get hit with steep fines, especially if you try to commercially profit from the use of the song. Criminal charges are possible for severe or repeated infringement.
Tips for avoiding problems
Here are some tips to help you avoid copyright headaches when adding music to Facebook videos:
Research music licensing carefully
Make sure you fully understand the different music copyright rules and licensing agreements before using a song. Don’t take shortcuts.
Use lesser-known music
Major label songs are very risky. Search for great music from undiscovered artists instead.
Keep music clips short
Only use small samples of songs to reduce infringement risks.
Add value with voiceovers
Commentary makes the use of background music more likely to be fair use.
Mute original audio if needed
Removing the audio lets you add new music without infringing recording rights.
Credit music properly
Giving proper attribution reduces the chance of disputes.
Conclusion
Posting Facebook videos with music takes care and research to avoid copyright violations. Your best approach is to only use music that you have confirmed rights to use or that is clearly free to use commercially. With the proper licenses and fair use practices, you can include great music to make your videos stand out without legal issues. Just be cautious using popular copyrighted songs without permission. Be sure to dispute any erroneous copyright claims on your videos if you followed proper licensing procedures. With some common sense, you can legally add music to enhance your Facebook videos.