How does TikTok platform handle copyrighted videos and music?

Copyright infringement on TikTok is a common and increasingly complex problem. TikTok users often use popular songs or short clips from songs to create videos. Users even blatantly make movie summary videos to gain interaction. Using this music or movie content without permission from the copyright owner is a copyright infringement and causes legal disputes. To address this problem, TikTok has taken many measures to prevent copyright infringement.

How does TikTok handle music copyright infringement?

At the event celebrating World Intellectual Property Day held in Hanoi on April 25, Mr. Nguyen Lam Thanh - Representative of TikTok Vietnam shared about how this platform handles copyright violations, especially in the music field.

According to Mr. Thanh, TikTok is currently applying two methods of managing music copyright on its platform. The first is music content used in user-generated videos , also known as User-Generated Content (UGC). This music content is the responsibility of the content creator and users are responsible for copyright infringement.

Mr. Nguyen Lam Thanh - Representative of TikTok Vietnam. (Photo: Minh Son/Vietnam+)

The second is commercial music content, which is often used in advertising campaigns or videos that generate revenue. For these cases, TikTok has purchased copyrights from music producers, ensuring that any videos that use these tracks are legal.

TikTok also allows users to report copyright infringement. If users discover any content that violates music copyright, they can use the "report" feature to notify TikTok's moderation team. This department will review and take necessary measures.

In addition, according to Mr. Lam Thanh, TikTok also cooperates with many organizations and companies in protecting music copyright. Recently, on April 21, 2025, TikTok joined the Copyright Office (Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism) and more than 50 TikTok agency companies to organize a seminar to promote the development of the creative industry, including protecting music copyright.

Mr. Lam Thanh emphasized that for the music industry to develop, all parties from composers to investors and platforms like TikTok need to cooperate to build a sustainable cultural business environment.

"We need a mechanism to make investors feel secure in investing in musicians so that they can have more music products. We also need a companion program between management agencies, investors, and platforms to promote the creation of career opportunities for those who perform products created by musicians. If we can do that, we can build a developing creative industry. From there, the copyright 'pie' is big enough to be divided among all parties," said Mr. Lam Thanh.

Movie summary video will be processed within 48 hours

In addition to music, TikTok is also facing another copyright issue: movie summary videos. Mr. Nguyen Lam Thanh shared that the situation of summary videos, synthesizing movie content is very popular, especially for "hot" movies that many people are interested in.

Although TikTok officially cooperates with film producers in Vietnam to promote films, many users have edited, revealed key details or summarized the entire content of these films without the permission of the copyright owners.

Movie summary videos are all over social media platforms, especially TikTok. (Photo: Minh Son/Vietnam+)

"TikTok commits to handling copyright violations related to film summary videos within 48 hours of receiving a report from a user or content owner. When detecting copyright violations, TikTok will coordinate with authorities and use a censorship team with knowledge of Vietnamese culture and law to identify and handle them according to regulations," said Mr. Lam Thanh.

Notably, TikTok only intervenes when there is an official request from the copyright owner. Platforms cannot arbitrarily remove content without a complaint from the content owner.

TikTok's system automatically checks uploaded videos and allows users to report suspected copyright infringement. Moderators will review each case on a case-by-case basis and take appropriate action.

By implementing this process, TikTok hopes to protect the rights of film makers and creative authors, while ensuring that the platform is a place for sharing creative content legally and fairly.

Mr. James Cheah - Director of Intellectual Property Southeast Asia of TikTok. (Photo: Minh Son/Vietnam+)

Mr. James Cheah - Director of Intellectual Property Southeast Asia, TikTok assessed that Vietnam has made many efforts in protecting intellectual property rights as well as copyright protection.

"TikTok and content creators are also working hard to cooperate with Vietnamese intellectual property agencies such as the National Office of Intellectual Property and the Copyright Office to have orientation programs on intellectual property rights in Vietnam as well as training programs to understand and reduce intellectual property violations. Compared to other Southeast Asian countries, we are very impressed with the efforts to improve intellectual property protection in Vietnam. We also want to have more activities in the future to be able to enhance and improve intellectual property in Vietnam as well as on the TikTok platform," said Mr. James Cheah./.

(Vietnam+)

Source: https://www.vietnamplus.vn/nen-tang-tiktok-xu-ly-video-am-nhac-vi-pham-ban-quyen-nhu-the-nao-post1035204.vnp