Copyright &
Takedown

Purpose of This Policy

This Policy is intended to:

• Protect legitimate copyright owners
• Provide a process for reporting suspected infringement
• Prevent unauthorized music distribution
• Address ownership disputes
• Manage copyright takedown requests
• Handle Content ID-related disputes
• Protect artists, labels and rights holders
• Maintain compliance with applicable laws and third-party platform requirements

This Policy should be read together with our Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy.

Copyright Ownership

Copyright may exist separately in:

Different rights may belong to different persons or entities.

Ownership of a Master Recording does not automatically establish ownership of the underlying composition or lyrics.

User's Responsibility

Before submitting content, the User must ensure that they have all necessary rights and permissions.

The User must not upload or distribute:

• Unauthorized recordings
• Stolen music
• Unauthorized music videos
• Unauthorized remixes
• Unauthorized samples
• Unauthorized cover recordings
• Music belonging to another label or artist
• Content with misleading ownership information
• Content submitted without required permissions

The User is responsible for claims arising from content submitted through their account.

Rights Documentation

NK Music Distribution may request evidence of ownership or authorization.

Documents may include:

• Master Rights Agreement
• Master NOC
• No Objection Certificate
• Assignment Agreement
• License Agreement
• Artist Agreement
• Label Agreement
• Publishing Agreement
• Composer/Lyricist authorization
• Distribution Agreement
• Sample license
• Cover-song license
• Other relevant rights documents

The requested documents must be genuine and reasonably sufficient to establish the claimed rights.

Who Can Submit a Copyright Complaint

A copyright complaint may be submitted by:

• Copyright owner
• Authorized representative
• Record label
• Music publisher
• Artist where they own the relevant rights
• Composer or lyricist where applicable
• Legal representative
• Other person legally authorized to act for the rights holder

A person submitting a complaint on behalf of a rights holder may be required to provide evidence of authorization.

Copyright Complaint Requirements

A copyright complaint should contain sufficient information for us to identify the disputed content.

Where applicable, please provide:

1. Full name of the complainant;
2. Company/organization name, if applicable;
3. Valid contact email;
4. Phone number where appropriate;
5. Description of the copyrighted work;
6. Identification of the allegedly infringing release/content;
7. Relevant artist and label information;
8. URL or platform location of the disputed content, if available;
9. Explanation of the ownership or authorization;
10. Supporting documents;
11. Statement confirming that the information supplied is accurate;
12. Confirmation that the complainant is authorized to make the complaint.

Incomplete complaints may require additional information before action can be taken.

Copyright Complaint Submission

Copyright complaints should be sent to:

Please provide all relevant evidence and information in the email.

Review of Copyright Complaints

After receiving a complaint, we may:

• Review the submitted information
• Identify the affected release
• Contact the relevant User
• Request ownership documents
• Temporarily restrict the content
• Suspend monetization
• Release Content ID claims where appropriate
• Request additional evidence
• Forward the complaint to the relevant third-party platform
• Take other reasonable action based on the circumstances

Receiving a complaint does not automatically establish that infringement has occurred.

Temporary Restriction

Where a complaint presents a credible rights concern, we may temporarily:

• Disable distribution
• Disable monetization
• Suspend Content ID
• Release or restrict claims
• Remove the affected content
• Prevent further delivery
• Place related revenue on hold

Such action may remain in place while the matter is being reviewed.

Notice to the Content Owner

Where appropriate, the User responsible for the affected content may be informed that a copyright complaint has been received.

The User may be requested to provide:

• Ownership documents
• Licenses
• NOCs
• Agreements
• Authorization letters
• Other relevant evidence

Counter-Claim / Dispute Response

If you believe that your content was incorrectly identified as infringing, you may contact us with a dispute response.

The response should explain:

• Why you believe you have the rights
• Your relationship to the content
• Relevant ownership information
• Applicable license or authorization
• Supporting documentation

We may review the response and determine whether further action is appropriate.

Content ID Disputes

Content ID claims are generally automated rights-management mechanisms.

A Content ID claim does not necessarily mean that a copyright strike has been issued.

If a User disputes a Content ID claim, we may review:

• Ownership
• Exclusive rights
• Distribution authorization
• Existing rights-management registrations
• Relevant licenses
• Third-party claims

Where appropriate, a claim may be released, modified or maintained according to applicable platform procedures.

Incorrect Content ID Claims

Users must not knowingly create or maintain Content ID claims against recordings they do not control.

Content that contains:

• Public-domain material
• Traditional music
• Non-exclusive beats
• Royalty-free material
• Samples
• Loops
• Cover recordings
• Third-party recordings

may not be eligible for exclusive Content ID enforcement.

Where an incorrect claim is identified, NK Music Distribution may release the claim and may restrict future Content ID access for the relevant content.

YouTube Channel Whitelist

Where whitelist services are available, authorized artist or label channels may be whitelisted according to applicable service rules.

A whitelist does not:

• Transfer copyright
• Establish ownership
• Authorize third-party content
• Prevent legitimate rights enforcement in all circumstances

Whitelist status may be changed or removed where necessary.

Takedown Requests by Rights Holders

A verified rights holder may request removal of content where they have a legitimate copyright or rights-related basis.

A takedown request should include:

• Identification of the content
• Identification of the rights holder
• Evidence of ownership
• Explanation of the alleged infringement
• Relevant URLs
• Contact information
• Supporting documentation

User Requested Takedown

A User may request removal of their own release where permitted under their applicable service agreement.

Removal may require:

• Account verification
• Release identification
• Confirmation of authorization
• Compliance with any applicable contractual obligations

The User acknowledges that removal from third-party platforms may take time and is controlled by those platforms.

Takedown Process

Once sufficient information is received, we may:

1. Review the request;
2. Verify the relevant release;
3. Determine the appropriate action;
4. Contact the relevant User where appropriate;
5. Request additional evidence;
6. Submit a removal request to the relevant platform;
7. Remove or restrict the content within systems we control where appropriate.

We do not guarantee a specific removal timeframe because third-party platforms operate independently.

Platform-Specific Removal

Where content has already been delivered to third-party platforms, removal may depend on the procedures and processing times of those platforms.

NK Music Distribution cannot guarantee immediate removal from:

• Streaming services
• YouTube
• Social media platforms
• CRBT services
• Search engines
• Other third-party services

Fraudulent or False Copyright Complaints

Copyright complaints must be made honestly and in good faith.

You must not knowingly submit:

• False ownership claims
• False infringement allegations
• Fraudulent documents
• Misleading evidence
• Complaints intended to harass another User
• Complaints intended to improperly obtain revenue or control content

We may take appropriate action against accounts involved in fraudulent complaints.

False Ownership Documents

Submitting forged, altered or misleading ownership documents may result in:

• Content removal
• Account suspension
• Revenue hold
• Content ID suspension
• Termination of services
• Reporting to relevant parties or authorities where appropriate

Multiple Ownership Claims

If multiple parties claim ownership of the same recording or composition, NK Music Distribution may temporarily suspend affected services.

This may include:

• Distribution
• Monetization
• Content ID
• Revenue withdrawal

We may require the parties to provide documentation establishing their respective rights.

Ownership Disputes

NK Music Distribution is not a court and does not make final legal determinations of copyright ownership.

Where ownership cannot reasonably be established, we may:

• Temporarily suspend the affected content
• Hold affected revenue
• Disable Content ID
• Request additional documentation
• Require the parties to resolve the dispute independently
• Follow a decision, settlement or legally valid determination where provided

Revenue During a Copyright Dispute

Revenue relating to disputed content may be temporarily held while the dispute is being reviewed.

Where a valid rights determination is established, revenue may be adjusted according to:

• Applicable rights
• Platform reporting
• Contractual terms
• Applicable law

Cover Songs

A cover recording may contain separate rights in the underlying composition.

The User is responsible for obtaining required licenses or permissions.

A person owning the new sound recording does not automatically own the underlying composition.

If required documentation is not provided, the release may be rejected, restricted or removed.

Remixes, Mashups and Derivative Works

A remix, mashup, re-edit or derivative work may require authorization from the relevant Master and/or composition rights holders.

Unauthorized derivative content may be subject to rejection or removal.

Samples and Third-Party Material

Users must obtain appropriate authorization for samples and third-party materials where required.

A royalty-free license does not automatically grant exclusive Content ID rights.

We may request evidence of the applicable license.

Folk and Traditional Music

Traditional, folk or community music may have different rights considerations.

A new recording does not automatically give the User exclusive ownership over the underlying traditional material.

Content ID eligibility may be restricted where exclusivity cannot reasonably be established.

Public Domain Material

Public-domain status applies to the relevant work according to applicable law and territory.

A public-domain composition does not automatically make another person's sound recording free to use.

Users remain responsible for verifying applicable rights.

AI-Generated Content

AI-generated or AI-assisted music may require additional review.

Users must ensure that:

• They have appropriate rights
• AI tools were used in accordance with applicable licenses
• No artist's identity or voice has been improperly imitated
• No third-party rights have been infringed
• Applicable platform policies are followed

We may restrict Content ID or distribution where ownership cannot be adequately established.

Artist Impersonation

Content must not be submitted in a manner that falsely represents another artist or rights holder.

Where an artist-name conflict or impersonation concern arises, we may request additional verification.

Copyright Strikes

A copyright claim and a copyright strike are not necessarily the same thing.

A copyright strike may be issued by a third-party platform according to that platform's own procedures.

NK Music Distribution does not control third-party platform strike systems.

Repeat Infringement

Accounts repeatedly associated with credible copyright infringement may be subject to:

• Content removal
• Distribution suspension
• Content ID suspension
• Revenue hold
• Account termination
• Other appropriate action

Cooperation with Platform Investigations

Where a third-party platform investigates a copyright or rights-management matter, Users may be required to provide information or documents.

Failure to cooperate may result in temporary restrictions on affected services.

Legal Orders and Authorities

Where legally required, NK Music Distribution may comply with:

• Court orders
• Government notices
• Lawful requests from competent authorities
• Other legally binding processes

Information may be disclosed where required by applicable law.

Data Privacy

Information submitted through a copyright complaint or dispute may contain personal or business information.

Such information will be processed according to our Privacy Policy and applicable law.

We may share relevant information with:

• Rights holders
• Authorized representatives
• Third-party platforms
• Rights-management providers
• Legal advisors
• Competent authorities

where reasonably necessary to process the dispute or comply with legal requirements.

Good-Faith Requirement

All parties are expected to act honestly and in good faith when:

• Submitting content
• Claiming ownership
• Filing complaints
• Responding to complaints
• Providing documentation
• Disputing Content ID claims

No Guarantee of Removal

Submitting a copyright complaint does not guarantee that content will be removed.

The final decision may depend on:

• Applicable law
• Evidence
• Rights documentation
• Third-party platform policies
• Platform decisions
• Court or authority decisions

No Legal Representation

NK Music Distribution does not provide legal representation to Users or complainants through this Policy.

If you require legal advice regarding copyright ownership or infringement, you should consult a qualified legal professional.

Policy Updates

We may update this Copyright & Takedown Policy from time to time.

The updated version will be published on this page with a revised Last Updated date.

Contact Information

For copyright complaints, takedown requests, ownership disputes and Content ID matters:

Acceptance

By submitting content to NK Music Distribution, using our distribution or rights-management services, or submitting a copyright-related request, you acknowledge that you have read and understood this Copyright & Takedown Policy.