Meta’s new music contract with UMG includes Threads and WhatsApp

The latest deal between Universal Music Group and Meta includes the licensing of music used in short films on the new platform. Meta and Universal Music Group (UMG) are updating their licensing agreement to expand the use of the publishing giant's content on more Meta social apps. The new multi-year deal, announced on Monday, now includes licensed media in content such as short-form videos on Threads and WhatsApp, as well as Facebook, Instagram, Messenger and Meta Horizon.

In a press release, Meta's VP of business development for music and content, Tamara Hrivnak, says the partnership between Meta, UMG and Universal Music Publishing Group will allow the companies to work together "in new ways on WhatsApp and beyond." The companies haven't revealed many details about the deal, but say the partnership is "multi-faceted" and will address "unauthorized AI-generated content that can affect artists and songwriters," among other things. Meta and UMG have had an agreement since 2017, when Meta was still at Facebook. The agreement allows users to upload videos and content using UMG Music to platforms such as Instagram and Oculus to address copyright infringement issues. The agreement with UMG covers Meta’s content in ways TikTok struggled to lock down. As with the Meta deal, AI took center stage in the TikTok deal. In February, TikTok began removing videos that used not only music owned by UMG, but also content that used music from artists with distribution deals with Universal Music Publishing Group. TikTok removed all content associated with the publisher in late February, but later in May the two companies ended their dispute and allowed music from artists including Taylor Swift and Drake to return to the platform.