Meta Expands UMG Deal To WhatsApp, Threads
In renewing its deal with Universal Music Group (UMG), Meta is extending the licensing agreements to additional social platforms in the tech giant's growing family of apps.
Media content owned by UMG will now be available in new formats on Threads and WhatsApp as well as on Facebook, Instagram, Messenger, and Meta Horizon.
The new agreement stems from a 2017 deal UMG made with Meta, then known as Facebook, which made UMG the first major music company to license its recorded music and music publishing catalogs across Meta's platforms.
The agreement allowed users to upload videos and content using music from UMG on Instagram and Oculus to comply with copyright laws.
Meta’s expansion of its deal with UMG to include platforms like WhatsApp and Threads raises serious concerns about the increasing monopolistic power of Big Tech. Conservatives have long warned about the dangers of allowing a handful of companies to control the flow of information and culture. With this deal, Meta is further solidifying its grip on digital communication and entertainment, leaving less room for competition and diversity of thought. It's crucial that we push back against this kind of consolidation, which only serves to strengthen the dominance of tech giants while potentially stifling free speech and alternative perspectives. The more control Meta gains, the more vulnerable our society becomes to the unchecked influence of these corporate behemoths.
~Political Media