There are various regulations on TikTok which are designed to prevent creators for making and sharing videos which contain copyrighted music.
These regulations are in place to protect the creator as well as TikTok as a platform – with countless artists adding a copyright to their music to prevent it from become a trending audio on a social media app from which they receive no credit or royalties.
In the simplest terms, when music has a copyright, it means that the music cannot be used without the permission of the artist. It’s something that movie producers pay big money for – using specific clips which they have to pay exceptionally high amounts to gain legal access to.
So, how does it affect you as a TikTok user, and how can you safely use copyrighted music?
What Happens When You Use Copyrighted Music?
If you add copyrighted music to your TikTok, you face a high chance of your video being removed or taken down. You might even face a shadow ban or suspension as a result.
Typically, copyrighted music is picked up by an automated system which checks every video posted on TikTok. Content moderators offer a back-up check, with users also able to report videos that they think violate copyright agreements and regulations.
What this should tell you is that getting past the copyright laws on TikTok is not easy.
Break regulations once and you will probably have the video taken down and be handed a warning. Continue to violate the regulations and use copyrighted music and you will likely find that your account is suspended or even terminated completely.
How to Use Songs on TikTok
The good news is that TikTok is generally licensed to use small clips of popular songs – which means that if you’re flexible with the part of a song that you want to attach to your video, there’s a chance you may be able to use it totally legally and without issue.
Alternatively, you can browse the library of songs which TikTok is licensed to use with leisure and flexibility. There are thousands of songs available in TikTok commercial library, with options for all tones, themes, and content styles.
TikTok’s automated system will often suggest some tracks that may suit your content and video, or you can browse for things yourself using the search key.
NOTE: And don’t forget the power of trending audio and the reach that a single video can achieve when it uses a trending song or audio clip in the right way!
We hope this helps. TikTok aims to make the creation of great content as easy and as enjoyable as possible for users, with access to a broad library of high quality songs and audio clips. If you want to use a particular song, the easiest way to see if it’s available is to search for it in TikTok’s sound library. If it’s not available, then the chances are it’s copyrighted – and your video will be removed or penalised if you go ahead and use it.
Trust us when we say it’s not worth the hassle and the potential action against you and your video!
