RouteNote joins Music Fights Fraud Alliance to help artists protect their music
RouteNote has joined the Music Fights Fraud Alliance, an industry-wide initiative bringing together more than 35 organisations to tackle streaming fraud and other forms of fraudulent activity across digital music.
RouteNote has joined the Music Fights Fraud Alliance (MFFA), an industry-wide initiative bringing together more than 35 organisations from across music distribution, streaming, rights management and technology to tackle streaming fraud and other forms of fraudulent activity. Its members work together to improve how the industry detects, prevents and responds to fraud.
For RouteNote, joining the MFFA builds on work we have already been doing to prevent fraudulent activity and protect the integrity of our platform. It also gives us another opportunity to collaborate with others across the music industry and contribute to the wider conversation around fraud prevention.
But fraud prevention is not just something that happens behind the scenes. Understanding artificial streaming and how to promote your music responsibly can also help artists make informed decisions and avoid unnecessary risks.
What is artificial streaming?
Artificial streaming, also known as fraud or bot streaming, refers to illegitimate activity designed to inflate the number of streams a track receives.
This can involve automated bots, fake accounts, manipulated playlists and other methods that generate plays without genuine listener activity.
Fraudulent streaming can take different forms, and it is not always as clear-cut as an artist deliberately paying for fake streams. An artist’s music may be promoted by a third party using methods they do not fully understand, or it could appear in a suspicious playlist without the artist’s knowledge.
For a closer look at how fraud streaming works, the methods used to generate illegitimate streams and the potential consequences, read our guide to what fraud streaming is and how to avoid it.
Why does artificial streaming matter?
Artificial streaming affects more than the numbers displayed on a track.
Streaming fraud can divert revenue away from legitimate artists, labels and rightsholders. When fraudulent activity generates streams that do not represent genuine listening, it can affect the royalties available to those earning from legitimate music.
It can also create problems for artists whose music becomes connected to suspicious activity.
Importantly, artists do not always knowingly cause artificial streaming. A track could be added to a fraudulent playlist, for example, or a third-party promotion service could use illegitimate methods without clearly explaining how it generates results.
That is why understanding how your music is being promoted matters. Being aware of the potential risks can help you make more informed decisions and spot activity that does not look right.
How can you protect your music?
There is no substitute for genuine audience growth. Building an audience through authentic fan engagement and legitimate promotion helps ensure that your streams come from people who actually want to hear your music.
There are also a few things to keep in mind when promoting a release.
Grow your audience organically
Focus on organic growth and building genuine relationships with your audience through social media engagement, live performances and authentic connections. You can also pitch your music to editorial playlists through legitimate channels.
Be cautious of guaranteed streams
Be wary of any service promising a specific number of streams, followers or playlist placements.
Legitimate marketing can help introduce your music to new audiences, but it cannot guarantee that a certain number of people will listen. Before paying for a promotion service, research how it works and understand how it plans to promote your music.
Know who is promoting your music
If you work with a third party, make sure you understand the methods they use.
This is particularly important when paying for promotional services. If a company cannot clearly explain how it intends to deliver results, or makes promises that seem too good to be true, it is worth proceeding with caution.
Keep an eye on your streaming activity
Monitoring your streaming data can help you spot unexpected activity.
Look out for unusual spikes in streams, unexpected locations or activity that does not match your promotional efforts. If something appears unusual, it is important to investigate it rather than simply assuming that every increase in streams is positive.
If you notice suspicious activity, you can find more information in our Support Hub guide on how to avoid artificial or fraudulent streaming.
Why RouteNote has joined the Music Fights Fraud Alliance
Artificial streaming is an industry-wide problem. Fraudulent activity can affect distributors, streaming services, artists, labels and other organisations across music.
That means no single company can tackle the issue alone.
RouteNote has long worked to prevent fraudulent activity, helping to protect the integrity of our platform and support legitimate artists and labels. Joining the Music Fights Fraud Alliance builds on those existing efforts, giving RouteNote the opportunity to collaborate with other industry organisations, share knowledge and contribute our own experience to the wider effort against music fraud.
The alliance brings together organisations from across distribution, DSPs, rights management and music technology. By improving collaboration across the industry, its members can work towards a better understanding of fraudulent activity and emerging threats.
You can learn about the MFFA here.
What happens if you notice suspicious activity?
Seeing unusual activity on your music does not necessarily mean you have done anything wrong.
However, it is important to pay attention to unexpected changes in your streaming data and understand where your streams may be coming from.
If your music has already been flagged for potential fraud, our Support Hub explains what an FSA or fraud streaming claim means and what information may be relevant.
Taking a proactive approach to understanding and monitoring your music can help you make informed decisions about promotion and identify potential problems sooner.
What happens next?
Joining the Music Fights Fraud Alliance is part of RouteNote’s ongoing commitment to preventing fraudulent activity.
We’ll also be sharing more information to help artists better understand artificial streaming, promote their music responsibly and recognise potential risks.
Fraud prevention is a shared responsibility. Artists, distributors, streaming services, rights organisations and other music companies all have a role to play.
By joining the MFFA, RouteNote is proud to contribute to a wider industry effort to tackle fraud while continuing our own work to protect legitimate artists and labels.