Music labels crack down on influencers violating copyright

A reckoning may be coming for India's booming influencer economy as music labels crack down on the rampant and unauthorized use of copyrighted music on platforms such as Instagram.

- Pratishtha Bagai & Gaurav Laghate

The warning: stop using chartbusters for brand-sponsored content without proper licenses or face takedowns, legal action, and hefty fines.

Despite Meta's clear policies restricting the use of licensed music to non-commercial posts, influencers routinely embed trending tracks into branded Reels, often to game the algorithm and boost reach.

But music companies have had enough.

"Yes, it is unlawful for influencers to use published songs in promotional or sponsored posts on social media without proper clearance," said Viral Jani, chief revenue officer at Universal Music Group India and South Asia.

"When influencers use music in organic, day-to-day content, it usually falls within the platform's UGC (user-generated content) license. But the moment a brand is involved—through a paid promotion, product placement or endorsement—that becomes commercial use, and a separate license is required."

While music is often seen as an engagement hack, Jani said this isn't just about legal compliance but about fairness.

"We fully support creator culture and music discovery. But the commercial use of music must respect the rights of artists, songwriters and producers. Otherwise, the creative ecosystem becomes unsustainable."

Jani added that UMG takes a "two-pronged" approach—proactive education and strict enforcement.