For social media managers
You picked the sound. You'll be asked about it.
Social media managers post every day, chase trends and boost what works. When a record label writes to the brand, the first question is who chose the music. We check what's live and what's about to go live, and tell you exactly what to fix.
✓ No logins, just handles✓ Every flag checked by a person✓ A fix for each red post
The job has quietly changed
Five years ago a social media manager's music decision was easy: pick something from the app and post. Nobody outside the team thought about it. Now record labels are suing brands over the songs in their social posts, and the complaints read like content audits. They list the account, the date, the song, and sometimes the exact view count.
Marriott was sued over 931 alleged uses. Kroger over 392. Quince, Crumbl, PacSun and Luxottica were sued over hundreds of songs each. In almost every case the posts were ordinary marketing content: product launches, seasonal promos, creator collaborations. The kind of thing you schedule every week.
You probably didn't write the music policy. You may not even have one. But you're the person closest to the posts, so you're the person who will be asked what happened.
Why the app makes it easy to get wrong
The music library inside TikTok and Instagram is licensed for personal use: people making videos about their own lives. Brand marketing is a different use, and the platforms say so in their terms. Business accounts on TikTok are limited to the Commercial Music Library for exactly this reason.
The trouble is that the rules are invisible in day-to-day work. A creator account can see every song. A creator you pay can add any song they like. A video can be tagged "original sound" while a hit plays underneath. A sped-up version of a chart song looks like a different track. None of this gets flagged when you post, and a video that isn't muted can still be a problem. Labels watch brand accounts directly.
So the risk builds up in the background. Not through one bad decision, but through dozens of small ones over a year of posting.
What we check for you
- Every post on your brand accounts from the last 90 days, on TikTok and Instagram.
- Creator and affiliate videos about your products, including the ones you reposted or boosted.
- Ads that are running now, from the public ad libraries.
- Creator usage rights, so you know when a creator's video has outlived the license you paid for.
Each post comes back green (OK to run), yellow (check or fix soon) or red (fix now), with the reason and a specific fix. Swap the track, take the post down, or license the song. A trained reviewer confirms every flag before you see it. You don't give us a login. We only need your handles.
A scenario you'll recognise
Maya runs social for a mid-size skincare brand. She posts twice a day across TikTok and Instagram and works with about twenty creators a month. In March the brand's best video of the quarter is a creator's "get ready with me" set to a sped-up version of a big pop song. It's doing so well that the paid team turns it into a Spark Ad and spends $15,000 behind it.
In June the brand's general counsel forwards an email from a label's lawyers. It lists 40 posts, including that Spark Ad and a dozen of Maya's own Reels from the holiday season. Maya spends the next two weeks pulling screenshots, finding the creator contracts and working out which posts are still live. She hadn't done anything unusual. She'd done her job the way everyone does it.
A check in March would have flagged the Spark Ad before the money went in and swapped the track on the holiday Reels. The letter would have had nothing current to point at.
What you get to show your boss
The report is written for people who don't work in social. It opens with a one-page summary: how many posts were checked, how many are red, what's been fixed, and the date. It's dated and independent, which matters when a CMO or a lawyer asks "did we check?" You can forward it as is.
Many managers use the first check as cover for a conversation they've wanted to have for a while: we need a music policy, a creator brief that says which audio is allowed, and someone checking boosted posts before the money goes in. Having the numbers makes that conversation short.
How it fits into your week
- Send your handles. Your brand's TikTok and Instagram accounts and any creator or affiliate videos you want included.
- Get your list. Within five business days, every post is marked green, yellow or red, with the reason.
- Fix the reds. Most fixes take minutes: swap the audio for a licensed track, or archive the post.
- Keep it clean. Check new posts and anything you plan to boost, so you're never starting from scratch again.
Price. First check from $500 for up to 100 posts, and free if we find nothing that needs fixing.
What we don't do
We don't give legal advice, and we don't license music. If a letter has already arrived, talk to your lawyer first; we can help them by producing a full list of posts using that label's songs quickly. We check music and creator rights today. Stock footage, images and AI likeness checks are coming soon.
Get your accounts checked
Common questions
I only use sounds from the TikTok app. Isn't that enough?
Not for a brand. The general library in the app is licensed for personal use. Business accounts are meant to use the Commercial Music Library, and creators you pay can still add songs that aren't cleared for your marketing.
Will you need access to our accounts?
No. We only need your public handles. We never ask for passwords.
What if a creator chose the song?
If the video promotes your brand, especially if you paid for it, reposted it or boosted it, the brand can still be on the hook. Courts have held brands responsible for influencer videos.
How long does a fix take?
Usually minutes per post. Swap the audio for a licensed track or archive the post. Boosted posts should be paused first.
Can you check posts before they go live?
Yes. Send us the draft or the link before you post or boost it, and we'll tell you if the music is cleared for brand use.
Is this legal advice?
No. We find the problems and suggest practical fixes. For legal questions, talk to your lawyer.
Related
General information, not legal advice. Platform rules and licenses change; check the current terms or ask your lawyer about your situation. Lawsuit figures are as reported and represent claims, not findings, unless noted.