Artists: streaming fraud is getting federal attention

On October 7, the U.S. Copyright Office opened a public inquiry into music streaming fraud—how it happens, how it affects the industry, and what could help stop it.

Why should you care? Artificial streams can dilute the royalty pool available for legitimately streamed music. Fake plays can affect more than the accounts buying them.

Here’s what this inquiry means:

🔎 The government is gathering evidence and public input. 💬 Artists and other industry participants can share their experiences. 📋 Potential responses are being explored. This inquiry itself does NOT create a new distribution rule.

Initial comments are due November 23, 2026, at 11:59 p.m. ET.

For artists, the takeaway is simple: build connections you can measure beyond a stream count. Are people visiting your page, previewing your songs, following you, or purchasing your music?

Ask where your promotional traffic comes from. Ask questions about suspicious activity and royalty adjustments. Your music business deserves transparency.

At POLIREUM, we believe real fan connections should be the goal.

Polireum.com

Source & comment information: copyright.gov/policy/music-streaming-fraud/