In a shock move, Meta has pulled music by Italian songwriters from its platforms. Is this connected to Mark Zuckerberg’s ‘Year of Efficiency’ ?

MBW Explains is a new series of analytical features in which we explore the context behind major music industry talking points – and suggest what might happen next…

WHAT’S HAPPENED?

This week, The Italian Society of Authors and Publishers (SIAE), which represents tens of thousands of songwriters in Italy, issued a press release announcing that US tech behemoth Meta had decided to “exclude” its music repertoire from services such as Facebook.

According to SIAE, the decision to remove its members’ songs has left Italian authors and publishers “bewildered”. 

SIAE claims that it was asked to accept a licensing deal proposed by Meta, “regardless of any transparent and shared evaluation of the actual value of the repertoire”.

Elaborating on this claim, SIAE tells MBW that “Meta presented a ‘take it or leave it’ economic offer, threatening to remove the content if the offer was not accepted by SIAE”.

SIAE says it didn’t accept this offer, and that Meta – which has apparently had no active license for SIAE repertoire since January 1, 2023 – “suddenly and unilaterally” started to remove its content.

“SIAE is being asked to accept Meta’s unilateral proposal, regardless of any transparent and shared evaluation of the actual value of the repertoire. This position, along with Meta’s refusal to share relevant information for a fair agreement, is evidently in contrast with the principles established by the Copyright Directive for which authors and publishers across Europe have strongly advocated.”

press statement issued by SIAE on Thursday (March 16)

SIAE says that Meta’s decision to remove its content applies to all works directly managed by SIAE, except those obtained through sub-licensing, and, as its a multi-territory license, is effective in all European countries and beyond the EU territory (excluding several countries, such as the US).

SIAE claims that it officially communicated to Meta that it was “[impossible] to accept the offer” because the Facebook parent “never shared the fundamental information necessary for a fair negotiation”.

SIAE adds that its “objections concern the fact that Meta offered a lump-sum value without providing the necessary information to SIAE to evaluate whether it was actually a fair compensation for the rights holders”.

SIAE claims that Meta’s explanation for its non-negotiable offer came down to “a budget limit”.

WHAT’S the background?

There’s a two-part background behind…