IFPI and Pro-Música Brasil take action against streaming manipulation services

By Emmanuel Legrand

Record labels' global organisation IFPI and its Brazilian national group, Pro-Música Brasil, have announced that action taken against music streaming manipulation services in the country has resulted in fourteen sites ceasing to offer the service last year. 

  The action was conducted in association with the cybercrime unit of the São Paulo Public Prosecutor's Office and the Association for the Protection of Phonographic Intellectual Rights (APDIF).

  Overall, according to IFPI, more than 65 streaming manipulation services have been affected by these actions, including 10 sites that have shut down and 20 sites that have ceased to offer the activity. In addition, 35 listings for music streaming manipulation services were removed from the online marketplace Mercado Livre. 

Undermining royalty payments

  For the IFPI, the services, which create artificial "plays" on digital music streaming services "undermine the accuracy of charts and, ultimately, that of royalty payments from streaming services to music creators." 

  For Frances Moore (pictured, above), Chief Executive of IFPI, streaming manipulation "has no place in music." 

  Paulo Rosa, Director of Pro-Música Brasil, added: "We successfully closed fourteen streaming manipulation services in Brazil last year, based on criminal prosecution and cease and desist notices. Since then, we have been working hard with our industry partners to tackle other prominent sites offering streaming manipulation services."