Meanwhile, Cormac Keenan, one of the highest-level Irish executives at TikTok, is stepping back from his role as head of global trust and safety.
TikTok has begun removing songs published by Universal Music Group on its platform as a disagreement between the two parties over payment for artists escalates.
The conflict began last month, when Universal Music – the world’s biggest record label – published a castigating open letter against TikTok, accusing the platform of trying to build a music-based business without paying “fair value” for the music and for sponsoring the “replacement” of artists by AI.
Universal Music also called out the social media giant for “intimidation” and “bullying” in deal renewal talks.
“TikTok proposed paying our artists and songwriters at a rate that is a fraction of the rate that similarly situated major social platforms pay,” the group wrote in the letter, adding that the company accounts for only 1pc of its total revenue despite being a rapidly growing platform.
“Ultimately TikTok is trying to build a music-based business without paying fair value for the music.”
Now, the company has begun removing songs published by Universal Music from its app. Videos featuring songs written by any songwriter signed on to the music label have also been muted, according to a Reuters report.
Soon after the scathing letter from Universal Music was published last month, TikTok hit back by calling it out for putting its “own greed above the interests of [its] artists and songwriters”.
“Despite Universal’s false narrative and rhetoric, the fact is they have chosen to walk away from the powerful support of a platform with well over a billion users that serves as a free promotional and discovery vehicle for their talent,” the company wrote.
“TikTok has been able to reach ‘artist first’ agreements with every other label and publisher. Clearly, Universal’s self-serving actions are not in the best interests of artists, songwriters and fans.”
Meanwhile, Cormac Keenan, one of the highest Irish executives at TikTok, has announced that he will step back from his role as head of global trust and safety.
TikTok confirmed to SiliconRepublic.com that Keenan will remain as an advisor to company and become a non-executive director of TikTok Ireland. He will be initially replaced by California-based head of global operations, Adam Presser.
However, the company’s global trust and safety headquarters will remain in Dublin, where thousands of employees are currently moving into the new Sorting Office building.
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