This Anti-Fraud and Artificial Streaming Policy (the "Policy") is an essential, legally binding addendum to the DistroVibe Digital Music Distribution Agreement and Terms of Service, governed by the laws of England and Wales. It establishes the mandatory rules, financial liabilities, cross-collateralization rights, and liquidated damages associated with the fraudulent manipulation of streaming data across Digital Service Providers (DSPs).
DistroVibe maintains a strict, zero-tolerance policy against artificial streaming, automated bots, click farms, and store manipulation. By utilizing the platform, you unconditionally agree to all terms, financial recovery mechanisms, and evidentiary standards set forth in this Policy.
1. Definition of Artificial Streaming and Fraud
Artificial streaming (also recognized as streaming fraud, algorithmic manipulation, or botting) is defined as the unnatural generation of online plays, streams, saves, follows, or views by human or automated non-human means with the purpose of generating unearned royalties, distorting chart rankings, or manipulating algorithmic recommendation systems.
2. Strict Liability and Third-Party Promoters
As the primary account holder and catalogue licensor, you bear strict and absolute liability for all streaming traffic generated on your releases. We recognize that creators are frequently targeted by predatory third-party marketing services claiming to offer "organic" playlist pitching.
Claims of ignorance—such as "I didn't know the marketing agency used bot farms" or "I was placed on a botted playlist without my consent"—are legally invalid and unenforceable defenses under this Agreement. If you hire or benefit from any service that engages in artificial streaming, you remain 100% contractually and financially liable for all resultant fines, clawbacks, and damages.
3. DSP Enforcement & Conclusive Evidence
Global DSPs actively detect, flag, and penalize tracks associated with streaming manipulation. Spotify, Apple Music, and other major platforms enforce aggressive financial deterrence measures.
The Spotify Artificial Streaming Penalty
When flagrant artificial streaming is detected on a track, DSPs (e.g. Spotify) impose a flat penalty fee of €10.00 (EUR) per track, per month, in addition to withholding 100% of reported royalties.
Conclusive Evidentiary Standard (Burden of Proof)
DistroVibe relies directly on the proprietary anti-fraud detection algorithms and telemetry of our DSP partners. Any audit report, infringement flag, or penalty notice issued by a DSP regarding your catalogue shall be deemed final, binding, and conclusive evidence of artificial streaming under this Policy for all contractual, debiting, and legal purposes.
4. Cross-Collateralization & Financial Recovery
You explicitly agree that any and all DSP penalty fees, administrative costs, and clawbacks incurred will be passed directly and entirely to you. DistroVibe enforces financial recovery through the following contractual mechanisms:
4.1. Cross-Collateralization & Direct Offset (Mahsuplaşma)
DistroVibe reserves the express contractual right to cross-collateralize and offset any DSP penalties, fines, clawbacks, or administrative audit fees against any and all revenues, past, present, or future, generated by the User across any release, catalogue asset, or associated account.
4.2. Continuous Payment Authority & Chargeback Defense
DistroVibe reserves the absolute right to automatically charge your stored payment methods (via Polar.sh) to recover outstanding debt created by DSP penalties. By accepting these Terms, you provide explicit, continuous payment authority for DistroVibe to debit your stored payment methods for any such penalties. Any bad-faith dispute or chargeback of a legitimate DSP penalty recovery constitutes a material breach of contract and will result in immediate legal action and referral to debt collection agencies.
5. Liquidated Damages & Catalogue Takedowns
- 1
Immediate Global Takedown
Flagged releases and associated audio masters are permanently removed from all digital service providers worldwide.
- 2
ISRC / UPC Code Blacklisting
Metadata, acoustic audio fingerprints, and ISRC/UPC identifiers are added to permanent industry blacklists, preventing redistribution across any global distributor.
- 3
Industry Alliance Flagging
Artist, label, and licensor identities are permanently flagged with DSP security teams and international anti-fraud alliances.
- 4
Permanent Account Ban & Liquidated Damages
Immediate termination of account access. DistroVibe reserves the express contractual right to freeze, withhold, and permanently retain all accrued royalties as liquidated damages to offset administrative expenses, DSP fines, forensic audit costs, and reputational damage incurred by the platform.
6. Proactive Self-Reporting Protocols
If you detect abnormal streaming spikes, suspicious third-party playlist placements, or suspected bot attacks in your analytics, you must immediately report the anomaly to DistroVibe Support.
7. Criminal Prosecution & Alliance Cooperation
Music Fights Fraud Alliance (MFFA)
DistroVibe cooperates fully with international law enforcement and the Music Fights Fraud Alliance by providing forensic telemetry, IP address logs, payment identifiers, and KYC verification records of bad actors.
Criminal Fraud Prosecution
Organized streaming manipulation constitutes criminal fraud, wire fraud, and computer misuse under UK and international law, subject to civil asset recovery, substantial statutory damages, and criminal prosecution.
8. Indemnification & Governing Law
The User unconditionally agrees to indemnify, defend, and hold harmless DistroVibe against all structural penalties, DSP fines, legal costs, forensic audit charges, and third-party damages arising from artificial streaming activities.
This Policy is governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of England and Wales. Exclusive jurisdiction lies with the courts of London, United Kingdom.