Introduction
This article explains FUGA’s Trust & Safety approach to digital content distribution. It outlines the most common forms of abuse seen across Digital Service Providers (DSPs), the key enforcement areas FUGA monitors, and how clients can help mitigate issues through proactive compliance, especially via Know Your Customer (KYC) Checks.
Overview of Trust & Safety Risk Areas
FUGA’s Trust & Safety efforts are structured around three core areas of risk:
1. Copyright Infringement & Misleading Content
- Unauthorized distribution of protected audio and/or video
- Metadata or cover art designed to imitate popular content
Uploading soundalike versions of existing works
2. Manipulation & Abuse
- Artificial Streaming (AS), including inorganic boosts to play counts
- Exploitation of Content ID (CID) platforms for monetisation violations
Metadata gamification (e.g., keyword-stuffing artist names or genres)
3. DSP Content Policy Violations
- Uploads using public domain content without correct attribution
- Unauthorized live recordings
- Use of non-exclusive samples without clearance
- Distribution of AI-generated content that violates DSP guidelines
These issues present reputational and legal risks to both FUGA and our clients. Digital Service Providers (DSPs) increasingly rely on strict compliance from distributors to maintain platform integrity.
FUGA’s Proactive Safeguards
FUGA employs a range of strategies to address Trust & Safety challenges:
- Compliance Monitoring: Ongoing review of flagged content using internal tools and DSP feedback.
- Fraud Detection: Identification of irregular traffic or monetisation patterns.
- Educational Guidance: Continuous updates and best practice materials to help clients avoid common violations.
Remediation Processes: Collaborating with clients to take swift corrective actions when issues are identified.
However, much of this work is reactive, only beginning once problematic content is already live on DSPs. FUGA therefore encourages all clients to embed preventative measures into their own workflows.
Implementing Preventative Measures
To limit exposure to content abuse or rights violations, clients should take the following steps:
1. Conduct Thorough Know Your Customer (KYC) Checks
Before accepting content or onboarding new partners, verify:
- The legitimacy of the rights claimed by the partner
- The originality and licensing status of submitted works
- The existence of prior infringements or platform takedowns
This step is especially crucial for sub-licensing agreements and distributed catalogs acquired from third parties.
2. Educate Your Teams and Sub Accounts
Ensure that your internal teams and any Sub Accounts understand:
- FUGA’s compliance standards
- DSP policy limitations (e.g., rules around AI or public domain use)
- Consequences of policy violations, including take-downs and blocked deliveries
3. Monitor and Audit Regularly
Use analytics and reporting to:
- Identify unusual traffic spikes or revenue anomalies
- Detect metadata abuse (e.g., trending artist names in unrelated fields)
- Review flagged content quickly in collaboration with your FUGA contact