Many Kick users have been wondering whether or not they can use any type of music in their streams. Well of course you can play music in your Kick streams.
However, when you start playing music that is owned by others, it could become a problem. Especially with copyright laws and DCMA takedowns.
In this blog post, we’ll dive into the world of music copyright on Kick.
We’ll explore what you can and cannot do when it comes to using copyrighted music on the platform and provide tips on how to legally incorporate music into your Kick streams without running afoul of copyright laws.
Let’s get started!
Can You Play Copyrighted Music on Kick?
can you play copyrighted music on Kick without running into copyright issues? The short answer is it’s risky.
You can play music on your streams, however, if the owner of the song or a label detects their music being used, they may order a DCMA takedown.
This is rare, however, since Kick isn’t that big of a platform many labels aren’t looking on the platform to see if their music is being used.
Kick themselves don’t really have much of an issue with you playing music. This is because Kick is a pass-through service meaning you are responsible for any company that strikes your channel.
In addition, Kick lacks copyright mentions in their Terms of Service so you won’t be at much risk of playing music.
However, when Kick does become bigger, and implement more laws since the company is growing, streams you have uploaded in the past may get taken down randomly.
Kick, unlike other streaming platforms, doesn’t have guidelines and rules regarding the use of copyrighted music during broadcasts.
What Happens If You Play Copyrighted Music on Kick
If you do play music that is owned by someone else then your video probably wouldn’t be taken down.
However, when you start playing music owned by bigger labels and start using the music in your videos consistently then with time you may be hit with a DCMA takedown when you’re not expecting it.
This is what happens in a lot of cases, streamers carry on streaming with copyrighted music, and see that no one is taking their streams down. They think it’s fine, then boom, their videos get taken down months later.
So the best thing to do is just to not use copyrighted music and your video may or may not get taken down in the future.
What is a DCMA?
DMCA refers to the enforcement of copyright law, specifically regarding the use of copyrighted music and other content during live streams or archived content.
Since Kick is new, they haven’t faced many challenges related to copyright infringement, leading to DMCA takedown notices being issued to streamers who use copyrighted music without proper authorization.
To comply with DMCA regulations and avoid copyright issues on Kick, streamers are encouraged to use royalty-free music, original compositions, or music for which they have the necessary licenses.
Kick has also implemented tools to help streamers mute copyrighted audio in their VODs (video on demand) to prevent potential DMCA issues.
How to Avoid a Copyright Strike
Determining whether a piece of music is copyrighted can be a crucial step in avoiding legal issues when using it in your streams. Here are some key ways you can use to avoid copyrighted music and use them on Kick.
One of them can be using a copyright-free music playlist. This will ensure that the music you are playing isn’t owned by any big label or musician.
This will avoid any DCMA takedowns as no one legally owns the music. There are free tools online and playlists you can use to find these songs.
They don’t tend to be mainstream songs or songs your Kick viewers may particularly like but they do the job of preventing your videos being taken down.
Another way you can avoid copyright-free music is to just not play music at all in your streams. This way, you won’t have to worry about any violations.
If you are going to play music, you can also mute your streams if you are going to play music or accidentally play music.
Will My Kick Account be Banned If I Play Copyrighted Music
Yes, Kick can take action against your account if you play copyrighted music during your streams without the appropriate licenses or permissions.
While Kick may not immediately ban your account for copyright violations, they have implemented a series of measures to address copyright issues, including the Digital Millennium Copyright Act takedown process.
This, however, takes a lot of violations since you are liable for any copyright claims, not Kick. So the labels will come after you.
Conclusion
Navigating the use of copyrighted music on Kick is a nuanced task. Although Kick lacks specific guidelines on this matter, it’s not without risks. Playing copyrighted music can lead to issues, including potential DMCA takedowns.
However, I would still use music for now until Kick implements a Terms of Service on music.
To steer clear of trouble, you have a few options. You can opt for copyright-free music playlists to ensure compliance.
Alternatively, consider streaming without music to eliminate concerns altogether. If you do play music, be ready to mute your streams as needed.
Staying informed about copyright laws is essential. Make choices that adhere to legal and ethical standards when incorporating music into your Kick streams.
