What are the Audius Copyright Policies and Processes?

How do I report content on Audius that infringes my copyright?

You can submit a formal DMCA-compliant request to dmca@audius.co

What can I upload to Audius?

We’re excited to have your original content uploaded into Audius. You can only upload music to Audius for which you fully own both the composition copyright and the sound recording copyright. The exception to this rule is if you have explicit written permission or a licensing arrangement to upload music for which you do not fully own both the composition copyright and the sound recording copyright.

Can I upload a remix or derivative work?

A remix or derivative work will require permission from the original copyright owner. In the United States, copyright law allows for the fair use of copyrighted material under certain limited circumstances without prior permission from the owner. If you are uncertain whether a specific use qualifies as a fair use, you should consult a qualified copyright attorney.

What Happens When I Upload my Music to Audius?

When uploading your music into Audius, your tracks are scanned by our content identification system for tracks that have been flagged as being owned by a copyright holder. Your content may be blocked if a match is detected.

What do I do if my Track was Taken Down for Copyright Infringement?

If your track was taken down for copyright infringement, it will not appear in your account and you will receive an email notifying you that it was blocked from being uploaded into Audius due to the content being matched to a copyright owner.

What can I do if my work was removed by mistake or misidentification?

You may submit a counter notification if your content was removed due to mistake or misidentification. Please note this is a legal request and misuse of a counter notification may result in legal consequences.

If you have any questions about your content being taken down by mistake or misidentification, please contact Audius at support@audius.co.

Counter-notification

Send us a counter-notice to dmca@audius.co containing the following information:

• Your name, address, telephone number, and email address;
• A description of the material that was de-linked
• A description of where on the Audius Service the material that was de-linked previously appeared (e.g., URL);
• A statement that you have a good faith belief that the material was de-linked as a result of a mistake or misidentification;
• A statement by you under penalty of perjury under applicable law that the information in your counter-notice is accurate;
• A statement that you consent to the jurisdiction of the U.S. District Court for the judicial district in which your address is located, or if your address is outside of the United States, the Central District of California, and that you will accept service of process from the person who filed the original DMCA notice or an agent of that person; and
• Your electronic or physical signature.

What will happen to my account if I upload content that infringes on other people’s copyrights?

If you upload content that you do not own, which receives a DMCA takedown notice, you will receive a ‘strike’ against your Audius account and are notified via your user account and/or email. We will let you know which of your tracks were removed and the next steps to address the strike.

Strikes may affect your ability to monetize your content. If you receive three strikes, your Audius user account is subject to immediate permanent or temporary suspension, and any content that you upload into Audius is subject to immediate permanent or temporary de-linking.

If you have a Verified Artist Account and receive three strikes, you will have seven days to act before your Audius account is de-linked or disabled. During this period, your strikes will not expire and you will not be able to upload new content, but your Audius account will remain live. If you submit a counter notification, your Audius account will not be disabled while the counter notification is unresolved. If the counter notification is resolved in your favor, or the claim is retracted, your Audius account will not be impacted.

How can I resolve a strike against my Audius account?

There are three ways to resolve a strike against your Audius account:

1. Expiration: strikes expire after 90 days provided that you receive no additional strikes in that period and complete and pass the Audius Copyright Infringement Quiz if it was your third strike.
2. Retraction: you can contact the person who claimed your music was infringing and request them to retract their claim.
3. Counter notification: if your music was claimed as infringing by mistake or qualifies as fair use, you can submit a counter notification as provided in the Audius Terms of Service.

My Audius account was blocked due to receiving three strikes. How can I restore it?

In order to reinstate your user account and your content, you will need to take and pass the Audius Copyright Infringement Quiz, which helps users understand intellectual property and how it’s enforced by node operators. Upon successful completion and passing of the Audius Copyright Infringement Quiz, your account will be reinstated.