ERA WELCOMES IFPI STREAMING INTEGRITY INITIATIVE

ERA welcomes the continued collaboration in the fight against streaming fraud through this initiative and congratulates IFPI and its distribution company signatories for taking proactive steps to strengthen the industry-wide response to streaming fraud.

 Digital services already invest in protecting the integrity of their platforms including through sophisticated technology, data analysis and dedicated teams to identify, investigate, demonetise and remove fraudulent activity. The commitments announced today will ensure that distributors, who are the gateway through which huge volumes of music are delivered to streaming services, apply robust standards upstream.

However, fraud is an industry-wide problem and it requires an industry-wide response. Distributors are  uniquely placed to help identify bad actors and prevent fraudulent or infringing content entering the ecosystem in the first place.

The commitments announced today set important baseline standards for distributors and should create a stronger first line of defence upstream, complementing the significant work already undertaken by DSPs .

No single part of the music ecosystem can tackle streaming fraud alone. The most effective response will come from DSPs, distributors, labels and other industry partners working together, sharing appropriate intelligence and ensuring that fraudsters cannot simply move from one distributor or service to another.

Streaming services, have a huge incentive to protect the integrity of their platforms and ensure that revenues reach legitimate artists and rightsholders.  ERA members are committed to continuing to invest, innovate and work collaboratively with distributors and other industry partners to stay ahead of an increasingly sophisticated and fast-moving threat.