Warner Music Group’s lawsuit against Iconic alleges that Iconic and its influencers used WMG’s copyright music without permission.
In total, WMG says Iconic has used more than 165 different copyrighted tracks owned by WMG across at least 169 videos. WMG says Iconic never sought to obtain licenses for the tracks.
Remember: Brands and influencers cannot used music from TikTok’s standard (i.e., non-commercial) music library for any sponsored content oar advertising without obtaining a license from whomever owns the rights to the music.
Platforms like TikTok and Instagram have licensing deals with big record labels that allow users to include music in videos, but those licenses don’t allow for commercial usage:
Bang Energy was found liable for this exact type of infringement in a case brought by Universal Music Group earlier this year.
The lesson: if you’re a brand or a creator, do not use music in sponsored content or advertising without clearing the rights. Damages for willful copyright infringement can be up to $150,000 per infringing act (i.e., per post)!