IFPI Launches Initiative to Combat Streaming Fraud

The IFPI, the international trade body that represents the recorded music business, has launched a new initiative through which participants commit to baseline practices to prevent, detect and respond to streaming fraud.

Dubbed the “Streaming Integrity Initiative,” or SII, it has so far been supported by Absolute Label Services, ADA, AWAL, CD Baby, CmdShft, Ditto Music, FUGA, GoDigital, HYBE, IDOL, IMPALA, InnerCat Music Group, Merlin, Redeye, Revelator, RouteNote, Secretly Distribution, Symphonic, Sony Music Group, The Orchard, Too Lost, Universal Music Group, Virgin Music Group and Warner Music Group. Notably, the largest DIY music distributor, Distrokid, has not yet signed on.

To be part of SII, participants sign on to five core commitments, including:

SII is the latest move by the recorded music industry to get a handle on the persistent issue of streaming fraud, or the manipulation of digital service providers (DSPs) to siphon royalties from plays that are not from genuine fans. Experts say that the problem is significant, costing artists and platforms hundreds of millions, or even billions, each year — and as AI makes it easier than ever to perform these schemes, it’s become a hot topic.

In recent years, Trust and Safety, a symposium run by by Music Business Association, was formed for the express purpose of educating the music establishment about the issue. Two years ago, a coalition of industry players formed the Music Fights Fraud Alliance (MFFA) in the U.S. to band together distributors and streaming services and establish a way to share data and coordinate anti-fraud efforts. A representative for SII says that while the initiative liases closely with the MFFA, it is not directly connected.

SII is part of a wider campaign from the IFPI called End Streaming Fraud that aims to raise awareness for the issue. According to French streaming service Deezer, the problem is deeply tied to the rise of generative AI music online: The service reported earlier this year that up to 80% of streams on AI songs are artificial. The development of agentic AI also poses a threat, allowing bad actors to more easily scale illegal bot farms.

“Streaming fraud misleads fans and deprives legitimate artists and songwriters of income that should rightfully flow to them,” Victoria Oakley, CEO of IFPI, said in a statement. “This is theft, plain and simple. We welcome the leadership shown by the first distributors to publicly support the Streaming Integrity Initiative, and hope this leads to direct, effective and coordinated action to protect artists, songwriters and fans from streaming fraud.”

“Tackling illegitimate activity effectively requires every part of the industry to move together,” added Sarah McNabb, Merlin’s director of content integrity. “These commitments reflect Merlin’s own position and align closely with what Merlin already requires of its members. It’s encouraging to see so many of our members already putting their names to this announcement, and we’re glad to stand alongside IFPI in this initiative as it continues to grow.”

Helen Smith, IMPALA’s executive chair, said: “IMPALA’s Digital Music Plan adopted earlier this year set out our recommendations for growing the market and identified industry collaboration on a new scale as a top priority. With recommendations for DSPs and labels as well as distributors, working together on integrity, promoting human artistry and other key aspects across the whole chain is vital.”