Breaking News: Now You Can Post 'Singing Cover Songs' on Threads! Licensing Agreement Concluded with Japanese JASRAC

The text-based SNS ‘Threads’, launched by US-based Meta, has surpassed 30 million subscribers in less than a day since its service began. Threads is garnering attention as a potential alternative to Twitter.

Threads has also taken copyright into consideration, having entered into a contract with the Japanese Society for Rights of Authors, Composers and Publishers (JASRAC). This has made it easier to post videos and lyrics. In this article, we will take a closer look at the launch of Threads and its approach to copyright.

JASRAC Adds Threads to its List of ‘Licensed Contract Services’

The Japanese Society for Rights of Authors, Composers and Publishers (JASRAC) has added Meta’s new social networking service ‘Threads’ to its list of licensed contract services. As a result, if you are using your own produced sound source, you can now upload cover videos of JASRAC-managed songs to Threads. However, if you are using a sound source recorded on a CD or similar, you will need to obtain permission separately from the sound source creator.

With this contract, Threads, like Facebook and Instagram, allows users to upload content using JASRAC-managed songs without having to individually go through the licensing process.

For information on whether or not music can be used on social networking services, please refer to the easy-to-understand flowchart posted on the JASRAC site.

Reference: Use of Music in Video Posting (Sharing) Services such as YouTube[jn]

Image Source: Japanese Society for Rights of Authors, Composers and Publishers｜Use of Music in Video Posting (Sharing) Services such as YouTube[jn]

What You Can Do on SNS with a JASRAC Licensing Agreement

A licensing agreement refers to a contract in which the copyright holder grants permission to another party to use their copyrighted work. Through this agreement, the other party can use the copyrighted work with the permission of the copyright holder.

Thanks to the licensing agreement between Meta and JASRAC, users of Threads can post content using songs managed by JASRAC. As a result, Threads users can post content such as “singing covers” using songs managed by JASRAC without having to go through individual licensing procedures.

However, if you use sound sources recorded on CDs or similar media, you need to obtain separate permission from the sound producers who hold neighboring rights. Users can post videos and lyrics while keeping this point in mind.

Why You Shouldn’t Post “Singing Covers” Videos on Twitter

Threads is often compared to Twitter, but Twitter has not entered into a licensing agreement with JASRAC (Japanese Society for Rights of Authors, Composers and Publishers). Therefore, in order to post “singing covers” videos on Twitter, it is necessary to obtain permission from the copyright holder individually.

On the other hand, YouTube and Instagram have entered into licensing agreements with JASRAC, so as long as the content does not infringe on neighboring rights, you can post “singing covers” videos and the like.

Summary: Be Aware of Copyright When Posting Music Content on Threads, JASRAC Agreements

With Meta, the operator of Threads, concluding a licensing agreement with JASRAC, it is now possible to post content using JASRAC-managed songs on Threads, just like on YouTube. This includes videos of “singing covers” and others.

However, it is necessary to take precautions such as creating your own sound source to avoid infringing on the neighboring rights of the sound source creator. There are various types of copyrights, and additional caution may be required when posting content dealing with music. For more details, please consult a lawyer.

Our Firm’s Approach

Monolith Law Office is a legal practice with extensive experience in both IT, particularly the internet, and law. In recent years, intellectual property rights surrounding copyrights have been garnering attention, and the need for legal checks is increasingly growing. Our firm provides solutions related to intellectual property.