5th July 2021 – IFPI, the organisation that represents the recorded music industry worldwide, and its Brazilian national group, Pro-Música Brasil, have announced further successful actions against music streaming manipulation services in the country, following fourteen sites ceasing to offer the service last year.

Already, more than 65 streaming manipulation services have been affected by these actions, including 10 sites that have shut down and 20 sites that have ceased to offer the activity. An additional 35 listings for music streaming manipulation services were removed from the online marketplace Mercado Livre.

Streaming manipulation involves the creation of artificial ‘plays’ on digital music streaming services that do not represent genuine listening. The practice undermines the accuracy of charts and, ultimately, that of royalty payments from streaming services to music creators.

The numerous positive outcomes announced today result from close and ongoing collaboration among IFPI, the Association for the Protection of Phonographic Intellectual Rights (APDIF), Pro-Música Brasil and Cyber Gaeco, the cybercrime unit of the São Paulo Public Prosecutor’s Office.

Frances Moore, chief executive of IFPI, said: “Streaming manipulation has no place in music; we continue to tackle it globally. Pro-Música Brasil, APDIF and Cyber Gaeco have achieved a fantastic result which supports the continued growth and development of Brazil’s thriving legitimate digital music market.”

Paulo Rosa, Director, Pro-Música Brasil, said: “We successfully closed fourteen streaming manipulation services in Brazil last year, based on criminal prosecution and cease and desist notices. Since then, we have been working hard with our industry partners to tackle other prominent sites offering streaming manipulation services. We would like to thank APDIF and Cyber Gaeco for their continued support and collaboration.”

These actions are the latest in the global recording industry’s campaign against music streaming manipulation. In 2019, IFPI, its member companies and national groups joined a broad industry coalition in signing a voluntary code of best practice aimed at detecting and preventing streaming manipulation, as well as mitigating its effects in the marketplace.