As many SoundCloud users may have noticed, the site has been cracking down harder than ever on copyright claims in recent months.
Now, it seems things are going to get worse, as the site has reportedly allowed the giant Universal Music to directly flag and remove any content it deems to be infringing on copyrights.
In an email exchange between SoundCloud and user Sub.FM DJ, Mr Brainz, which was recently published online, the artist attempts to understand why his account is being shutdown after three copyright strikes, and is told that Universal Music was directly responsible for removing his content.
"Your uploads were removed directly by Universal. This means that SoundCloud had no control over it, and they don't tell us which part of your upload was infringing.
The control of removing content is completely with Universal. This means I can't tell you why they removed your uploads and not others, and you would really need to ask them that question."
It goes on to say that because Universal are unhappy with their works being freely distributed, they're within their rights to remove any material from the site they see fit to.
"Some producers and publishers are fine with others using their material, but some are not and do not want their works altered or distributed without their explicit consent. Universal do not want their material shared in this way, and this is why they removed it."
Read the full email below:
[Via Mixmag]