Creators on Facebook are getting a new tool to help them protect their work (content) from theft by third parties. On Monday, Meta introduced Content Protection Facebook, a mobile tool designed to detect when a creator's original reels posted on Facebook are being used without their permission.
If a creator is notified that someone else is using their reels, they will have the option to block the reel's visibility on both Facebook and Instagram , or monitor the reel's performance and optionally add attribution links to their work. Alternatively, they can choose to release their claim to the reel, allowing it to remain visible on Meta's platforms.
Meta Facebook: Content Protection – Reels
Meta says the addition of the content protection feature is part of its effort to help original creators succeed on Facebookwithout being affected by copycats. As part of that initiative, Meta said in July that it had removed about 10 million profiles that were imitating big content creators and had taken action against 500,000 accounts that engaged in spammy behavior or fake interaction.
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While the new system also works to protect original content posted on Instagram, it requires creators to post their reels to Facebook in order to watch them. This also works if the creator uses cross-posting option to “Share content on Facebook.” The move could encourage more creators to share their work on Facebook.
The new content protection system is automatically provided to Facebook creators in the Facebook Content Monetization. It applies to creators who meet enhanced standards of integrity and originality. Additionally, access to the new program is extended to creators who use Rights Manager.
Creators can see if they are eligible by looking for notifications in their Feed, Professional Dashboard, and profile, or they can check for access to the tool from their Professional Dashboard under the “Content Protection” section. They can also apply for access on the Facebook website.
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To work, the tool uses the same matching technology currently used by Meta's Rights Manager for copyright. It will show the match rate for each similarity it detects, as well as other details such as views, follower count, and monetization status.
The company says it gives creators control over whether and how the system flags matches. For example, if a creator has given permission to another account to use their content , they can add them to an “allow list” so those duplicate reels aren’t automatically flagged.
Creators can also release their claim to a video, in a single instance, or if they choose to track a reel’s performance on another creator’s account, they can choose to add attribution links. These links will add an “original” tag to the reel that links back to the creator’s profile, page, or, in some cases, the original reel itself.
Meta is currently testing linking to the original reel, but linking to the page or profile is the default.
If they block the reel, its distribution is affected, but the account that stole the reel does not receive any disciplinary action. This may be because Meta does not want the system to be abused to target specific accounts. Additionally, if creators abuse the system and submit false reports, they may face restrictions on their own accounts or lose access to the tool.
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Watching reels is the default setting, Facebook notes.
Creators will also be able to dispute instances where another account is attempting to protect a piece of the creator's original work. To do this, creators can submit request copyright takedown through the IP reporting channel. They can also file a report if they find a match that the tool didn't find, by selecting the "Can't find a specific match" option on the content protection overview screen.
For now, the new tool is only available for mobile, but Meta is testing adding it to the Professional Dashboard on desktop.
