Facebook Copyright Tracking System Tipped As Part Of Larger Licensing Plan

Facebook is working on building its own copyright tracking technology, according to sources, and it'll use this technology as part of a larger licensing plan. Say the sources, big-name record labels have been pressuring the social network to remove user-uploaded copyrighted videos, and to license the music shared by its users. However, the sources caution that we likely won't see a deal struck between the record labels and Facebook until at least spring 2017.

Facebook users often share copyrighted music and videos on the social network, and it is largely impossible for the copyright owners to benefit from those uploaded items. The industry is moving toward ending that, seeking ways to monetize that glut of content, but doing so is tricky.

Speaking to the Financial Times, sources say Facebook's building a system that is akin to YouTube's Content ID technology. The copyright system doesn't seem to be intended to delete the content, but rather to locate and track it as a part of a deal the company reportedly is hashing out with record labels.

Talks about Facebook striking a music licensing deal with record labels reportedly began this past summer and are, at least according to statements made by sources, relatively productive. In the recent past, we've seen a job listing crop up from Facebook that seeks someone to direct a music licensing effort within the social network. Sources indicate record labels want to split advertising revenue from copyrighted content with Facebook.

SOURCE: Financial Times