Request for proof of (e.g. licence) rights

Have you received an email from us asking for proof of rights?

It's no reason to panic – but you do need to respond immediately. Here you will find out why we are writing to you and what we need from you.

Why we are writing to you

We pick up an audio content match or another reason to verify rights in several different ways:

Internal control system Report from a platform Random catalogue check Audio fingerprint match detection

As soon as we pick up such a signal, we contact you at the email address given in your user account. The request may also come to you as a task with a deadline – you will see it on the dashboard in the You have a task assigned card, and in the menu under your name under Tasks. Reply directly to our email and don't change the subject. While the task is open, it may hold up the distribution of your releases. That is why it is absolutely essential that your email is working and checked regularly – read why the email in your account must be working.

Time matters

Reply to our email as soon as possible. The longer the situation remains unresolved, the higher the risk that the recording will be removed from the platforms – and whether it can be released again depends on what you provide us with.

How the whole process works

1

We pick up a signalAn internal system, a platform or a manual check reveals an audio content match or another rights problem.
2

We contact youWe send you an email asking for proof of rights or an explanation of the situation.
3

In more serious cases, we remove the recording from distribution as a precautionTo prevent the recording from being permanently blocked by the platforms, we temporarily remove it from distribution.
4

We wait for your documentsOnce you have provided a licence or an adequate explanation, we assess the case and either release the recording again (if it was removed from distribution) or record you as a person who has infringed copyright.

Type 1 – Request for proof of rights

You will receive this email when we detect a match between your recording and another recording on the platforms, or when we have another reason to verify your authorisation to distribute. The situation may not be critical yet – we just need you to show that everything is in order. In the sample email, you will also find ways to resolve the situation.

Sample email – request for proof of rights

Subject: Proof of (e.g. licence) rights to recordings required – necessary for distribution

Hello,

We have received a notification of a match between recordings (or parts of them) that you have put into distribution and recordings that are or have been on the platforms – whether these are your own recordings or recordings of third parties.

We are sending you a request for proof of rights to the releases/recordings listed below, for which an audio fingerprint match has been detected. In order for the recordings to continue to be distributed, we need to verify that you hold all the necessary rights – in particular to backing tracks, sampled sections, etc.

What to provide – depending on the situation:

You use third-party backing tracks downloaded from the internet.
- If you use other people's works or recordings, you must have the appropriate licences – valid under Czech/European law and containing all the essentials (see Section 2358 et seq. of the Civil Code (Act No. 89/2012 Coll.)).
- Always read the licence terms – the label “FREE FOR PROFIT” means nothing in itself.
Send us a valid licence agreement – it must identify the contracting parties and state the scope of the licence and the manners of use. A screenshot from YouTube or a link to the producer's page is not sufficient as a licence.
You have changed distributor and are moving to us.
- This is the standard procedure when switching – and it is carried out for each recording separately.
- Check that you have kept the same ISRC and UPC codes – you will find the procedure in the article Switching from another distributor.
A solemn declaration by email that the work and the recording are 100% yours is enough, or alternatively a statement from OSA or Intergram. A vague statement such as “It's mine, don't worry about it” is not enough.
The same recording has already been released through another distributor.
- For example: You released a single elsewhere before and are now including it on an album with us.
- Here too, check that the ISRC and UPC codes match, following this procedure.
An explanation of the situation (ideally a solemn declaration) + the relevant links is enough.
You have also allowed another person to distribute your recording (collaboration, compilation).
- The situation is analogous to the previous point.
An explanation + the relevant links is enough. General statements without any further context are not enough.
Someone is distributing your recording without your consent.
- Report the recordings concerned directly to the relevant platforms.
Send us a description of the situation – we will try to help you, but we are not the body competent to resolve disputes of this kind.
It is an error in the content matching system.
- Such situations do happen – it's neither your fault nor ours.
Briefly describe to us why the recordings are not the same. Please don't send us questions like “Why are you sending me this when it's something completely different?” – we need a specific explanation.

Send us all the relevant documents for your situation, or other confirmations proving your authorisation to distribute the recordings listed below.

Note: Distributing without holding the relevant rights is a breach of the contractual terms (see the Framework agreement and the Terms and conditions). If you don't provide the documents and don't respond, this will be taken to mean that you don't hold the relevant rights, and the recordings will not be able to be distributed any further.

Bez Labelu Teaminfo@bezlabelu.cz

Type 2 – Urgent complaint + removal from platforms

This email comes in more serious cases – when we have received a formal copyright infringement complaint directly from the rights holder via a platform. In such a case, the recording is removed from the platforms as a precaution and you have 2 working days to respond.

Sample email – urgent complaint and removal from platforms

Subject: URGENT: Copyright infringement complaint + removal from platforms

Hello,

We have received a copyright infringement complaint concerning the recording [recording title] – release with UPC code [UPC code]. The recording has been removed from the platforms as a precaution. If you provide the necessary documents, it can be released again.

Send us documents proving your right to digitally distribute this content within 2 working days. In addition to the licence documentation, attach/write:

An explanation of why you dispute the removal of the recording from distribution – i.e. why you believe you have the right to distribute the recording properly.
This sentence: “I declare under penalty of perjury that I hold the necessary rights to publish the content listed under the above-mentioned UPC code.”
Your contact details: Email address, phone number and postal address.
Any other supporting documentation.

We also recommend contacting the complaining party directly and trying to resolve the situation in parallel – but always keep us informed of all communication.

Rights holder:	[complainant's name]
Contact:	[complainant's email]
Message:	[quotation or summary of the complaint]

Note: Failure to provide the requested documents is a serious breach of the Agreement (see the Framework agreement and the Terms and conditions). If you don't provide the documents, this will be understood to mean that you don't hold the relevant rights.