Facebook is now letting creators monetise videos

Finally, Facebook is taking a strong-arm approach to video pirates. The social network is letting video content creators claim ad revenue when their work is stolen.

Similar to YouTube’s Content ID system, which automatically scans uploaded content against a database of copyright material, Facebook’s update surfaces potential violations in a dashboard using automated tools.

Should one of Facebook’s mid or pre-roll advertisements appear in a pirated video, the content creator can use a Claim Earnings tool to redirect the ad revenue.

The feature in its Rights Manager tool has been a long time in the making. Previously, creators were only able to block videos where ‘freeboating’ occurred or request their removal.

“We hope these updates for Rights Manager will better support our partners’ business objectives,” Facebook said. “We will continue listening to feedback to improve the product.”

Given TIO‘s story on the viralty of a Bag Raiders track and the minimal pay-off, – it’s a step in the right direction.

The concentration on video makes sense, however, Facebook is moving heavily towards becoming a video platform. As it should: In November 2015, Facebook hit 8 billion average daily video views, double the figure reported just seven months earlier. And in early 2016, Zuckerberg told analysts that Facebook users watched an average of 100 million hours of video on the platform every day, though it has struggled to monetise that traffic.

As reported in Lars Brandle’s Back to Business column yesterday, Facebook is developing a feature that will allow artists, managers and promoter to better manage tour-related Facebook events.

According to The Verge, Dave Matthews Band and Alabama Shakes are testing a feature where if an artist is, say, on a multi-date trek, there’ll be separate Facebook events relating to those shows (plus extra events for meet-and-greets and club dates). Through the new feature, those shows will be grouped together and managed more efficiently.

This article originally appeared on The Industry Observer, which is now part of The Music Network.