PRS for Music launches new Member Anti-Piracy System 'MAPS' to combat online music piracy
Member Anti-Piracy System ‘MAPS’ launches to track and takedown unlicensed copies of PRS for Music repertoire made available online Bespoke system to enhance the scale of PRS for Music’s anti-piracy operations Greater reach in protecting the rights of PRS for Music and its members
PRS for Music is excited to announce the launch of its new anti-piracy take-down tool ‘MAPS’. The newly developed system will revolutionise the way PRS for Music tackles copyright infringement of its members’ repertoire in the continued fight against online music piracy.
Working in partnership with The Publishers Association, the trade body for the UK book publishing industry, MAPS has been developed for PRS for Music to deliver a bespoke notice and takedown system.
MAPS will initially be available to a selected number of publisher members in March 2016. The tool will locate unlicensed and infringing content made available online and will then allow users to automatically generate and serve notices to remove the content. It will also allow users to remove links to the content found on Google and elsewhere.
We are very excited to be rolling-out our new anti-piracy system to publisher members. Where opportunistic and illegal use is made of our members’ repertoire online, without the necessary business model to sustain a legitimate licensed marketplace, it is important that we take action to protect the rights of our members and to preserve the value of their repertoire. MAPS will deliver greater control and transparency to our members, allowing them to participate in our content protection work.
The system will also allow for a far greater number of infringements to be detected, reported and removed online. Whilst we call for the responsibilities of internet intermediaries to be clarified by law-makers, MAPS will utilise cutting-edge technology to enhance, automate and streamline PRS for Music’s rights protection work.
MAPS will be able to cut-off instances of piracy at the source, helping to ensure that the legitimate licensed services can be more easily found and that PRS for Music members receive fair remuneration for use of their repertoire online.
Members without access to the system in the initial roll-out can contact the PRS for Music Anti-Piracy Unit for removal of infringements of repertoire on their behalf.
PRS for Music believes it is the first music industry collective rights management organisation to offer a rights protection service of this scale and type to members.
About PRS for Music
Here for music since 1914, PRS for Music is a world-leading music collective management organisation representing the rights of more than 175,000 talented songwriters, composers and music publishers. Redefining the global standard for music royalties, PRS for Music ensures songwriters and composers are paid whenever their musical compositions and songs are streamed, downloaded, broadcast, performed and played in public.
For 110 years it has grown and protected the rights of the music creator community, paying out royalties with more accuracy, transparency and speed. In 2023, PRS for Music paid out £943.6m in royalties and collected a record £1.08 billion in revenues. prsformusic.com
