Brand Protection & Content Protection
-Takedown Guides-
deezer
A Guide To The Deezer Copyright Takedown Webform
Deezer – formerly known as Blogmusik, started as a small, unlicensed music blog with the aim of sharing music for all. Since the French platform’s humble beginnings, it has grown to be a fully licenced streaming platform with a massive library of over 53 million tracks. Larger than both Spotify and Apple in terms of library size, Deezer however, has a far smaller user base for both free and premium services. Deezer has struggled to keep pace with the major streaming platforms, lacking the social feel of Spotify, the ubiquity of Apple or the discovery options which understand the music tastes of the user.
Whilst Deezer may not as large in terms of monthly average users, the platform does have huge potential being available in over 180 countries worldwide. The user interface options focus on the international aspect, providing popular songs by countries, enabling international discovery. Furthermore, Deezer has integrated with numerous third parties, from car manufacturers to smart speakers with Sonos. As devices and applications become more connected, choosing the right third parties to integrate with can lead to sharp increases in a platform’s user base.
Despite the vast library of repertoire, Deezer maintains a very clean platform with a low rate of infringing content occasionally slipping through the net. Possibly owing to Deezer’s past, unlicensed model causing the platform to be shut down and rebranded, the platform works hard to avoid copyright infringement, and responds quickly to notices.
Support issues are generally handled with speed, including notices for copyright. The reported content is typically removed between 1-3 days after notification. Finding the page to submit a copyright infringement claim is annoyingly difficult. Copyright notices are sent via the same webform as all other requests, unlike most platforms which have a dedicated intellectual property section. The good news is, Deezer does not require the reporter to have a Deezer account to submit a notice. This can be useful as the person who found the infringement (this person will have an account to search Deezer’s library) may not be the person who will submit the takedown request. Click here to access the webform.
Click on the image to enlarge
In the first dropdown box, the option to select is unclear, choose “Deezer’s music catalogue” to get started. The other options include submitting a ticket for technical support or login issues. The selection in the second dropdown menu is far clearer – “Copyright infringement”. The email address provided will only be used by Deezer and no third parties. In the subject line choose an obvious title such as ‘Copyright infringement notification’ followed by the song name for clarity. The next box “Issue description” is the main area to enter all the details of the infringement. Whilst there is an option further along the process to attach files, it is advised to provide as much detail as possible in this section to support the infringement claim. Including a link to Discogs can help with identifying the rightsholder in some circumstances, aiding the review process.
Click on the image to enlarge
The “current subscription” box is mandatory, however, this is more relevant to other support issues which can be filed via the webform. If the reporter does not have a Deezer subscription selecting “Deezer free” is the best approach. Selecting the “Country” is mandatory, however the next three boxes are non-mandatory can be skipped without any impact on the notification review process. “Name of song or artist” is mandatory and is important to complete as listed on the Deezer platform to avoid confusion leading to a delay in the review process. The next box “Optional link to track” is optional, it is advised to complete if possible. The final option in the webform is to add attachments, multiple attachments can be submitted by drag and drop or clicking the “Add file” button and navigating the relevant files. Attached files can be removed by clicking the “x” button if necessary. It is advised to include any documents which show proof of copyright ownership or other probative documents to assist the review process. Once all the documents have been uploaded, click “Submit” and the notice is sent for the infringing content to be removed, pending review. Unlike most other platforms, there are no checkboxes or confirmation statements regarding good faith etc. It is advisable to include such language typically provided in copyright infringement notices, as particular to the rightsholder in either an attachment or the “Issue description” box above.