What To Do If My Music Is Flagged For Streaming Fraud?
If your music is flagged for fraudulent streaming, it’s important to take immediate action to resolve the issue, especially if you believe you did not cause or engage in any fraudulent activity. Digital Service Providers (DSPs) take streaming fraud very seriously and may remove your content, suspend your account, or even take back royalties if suspicious activity is detected. Here’s how you can respond effectively to protect your catalog and reputation.
1. Remain Calm and Understand the Situation
First, it’s essential to stay calm and understand what’s happening. Fraudulent activity might not always be the result of your actions—it could be external parties or bots that are targeting your streams without your knowledge. Take the following initial steps:
Review communications from your distributor or DSPs: Any good distributor will have their own fraud monitoring technology in place. They will notify you if they (or a DSP) have flagged your content for suspected fraud. Read the communication carefully to understand the nature of the allegations. Guidance will be given on what to do next.
Identify any suspicious activity: Look at your streaming performance data and try to pinpoint any recent irregularities (unusual spikes, sudden follower increases, or geographic anomalies) that could have triggered the flag.
2. Reach Out to Your Distribution Partner
Your distribution partner is often your first line of defense when your music is flagged for suspicious activity. Distribution partners have relationships with DSPs and can assist in investigating and resolving the issue.
Contact your distributor’s support team: Explain the situation to your distributor and provide any evidence that suggests you are not responsible for the fraud (e.g., analytics, marketing efforts). Distributors have teams dedicated to helping artists and labels handle these situations.
Share your data: If you’ve noticed any suspicious streaming data, share it with your distribution partner. They can use this information when reaching out to the DSP to resolve the issue.
Follow their guidance: Your distribution partner may have their own internal processes for addressing flagged content. Follow their recommendations to ensure a swift resolution.
3. Flag the Issue with the DSPs Directly
If your distribution partner isn’t able to resolve the issue quickly or if you work directly with the DSPs, it’s important to reach out to the streaming platforms involved.
Identify the DSP in question: Determine which platform flagged your music (e.g., Spotify, Apple Music, Deezer, YouTube). Each DSP has its own fraud detection systems and processes for handling flagged content.
Submit a formal appeal: DSPs typically allow artists and labels to appeal the flagging of their content. In your appeal:
Explain your situation: Clearly state that you did not engage in or authorize any fraudulent activity.
Provide supporting documentation: Include any data or evidence that could support your claim, such as analytics that show natural growth, legitimate marketing campaigns, or details of unusual activity outside your control.
Follow up regularly: If you don’t receive an immediate response, follow up periodically to ensure your case is being reviewed.
4. Conduct a Self-Audit of Your Streaming Activity
To further strengthen your case and prevent future issues, conduct a thorough audit of your streaming data:
Review your marketing and promotional efforts: Ensure that all promotional activities you’ve engaged in are legitimate and compliant with the DSP’s guidelines. If you’ve used third-party marketing services, confirm that they haven’t employed unethical practices like fake streams or bot-generated plays.
Analyze your streaming patterns: Use your analytics tools (or fraud monitoring platform) to look for anomalies such as spikes in streams from regions where you haven’t been promoting, or unusually high repeat plays from the same users.
Terminate any suspect third-party relationships: If you discover that a promotional service you used may be responsible for the fraudulent streams, immediately discontinue that relationship and inform your distribution partner and DSPs.
5. What to Do If You Believe External Parties Caused the Fraud
If you believe external parties (such as bots or third-party fraudsters) caused the fraudulent streaming without your knowledge, be proactive in your defense:
Notify the DSPs: Let the DSPs know that you suspect external fraud and that you are not responsible for the suspicious activity.
Provide any relevant information: If you have data or evidence that supports your claim (e.g., specific IP addresses or regions associated with the suspicious streams), provide this to the DSPs.
Collaborate with your fraud monitoring partner: If you have a fraud monitoring partner or your distributor manages this for you, work with them to gather and present data that can exonerate you from responsibility. They may have insights into the nature of the anomalies, such as bot traffic, that can support your appeal.
6. Avoid Future Issues with Fraudulent Streaming
To prevent your music from being flagged for fraud in the future:
Vet third-party promotion services carefully: Ensure that any marketing services you use follow ethical practices and do not rely on fake streams or bot-driven engagement. Look for partners who are transparent about their methods.
Monitor your data regularly: As mentioned earlier, regularly review your streaming and royalty data to catch any suspicious patterns early. If you notice any anomalies, report them to your DSP or distribution partner immediately.
