Meta creates tool to prevent rampant Reels content theft

Meta is continuing its crackdown on copycat content.

The company is introducing a new tool for Facebook Reels creators that protects creators' content from being reposted from other accounts without permission.

On Monday, Meta announced a tool called content protection, which helps users "safeguard your reels and maintain control over your creative work." It's located in the Professional dashboard in the Facebook app, and currently the only users who are eligible for the tool are creators in the Facebook Content Monetization program "who meet enhanced integrity and originality standards." Users can check to see if they're eligible in their Feed, Professional dashboard, and profile.

"Your original work is your voice, and you should have the tools to protect it," Meta said in a press release about the change. "That's why we built content protection — a powerful yet simple new tool in your Professional dashboard in the Facebook app that helps you safeguard your reels and maintain control over your creative work. It’s part of our ongoing focus this year to help authentic creators break through on Facebook."

Once users enroll in content protection, they allow their reels to be scanned by the same matching technology as Meta's Rights Manager for matches. If the tool detects matches — be that full or partial — Facebook will notify the creator, who can review the content and decide to take action or not.

If the user decides to take action, they can choose to either track, block, or release. Tracking is the default setting and keeps the matching reel visible, but the user can stay informed about its performance.

"You can always revisit and take a different action at any time," Meta said about the tracking option. "You can also add attribution links to select eligible tracked matches on Facebook, which puts an 'original by' label on the reel that links back to your Page or Profile."

Users can also block, which makes the matching reel not visible without taking disciplinary action against the other account, or users can release their claim. They can also grant permission to certain accounts to use their content, which adds them to an "allow list" and makes it so that their matching content won't be flagged.

This is all part of an ongoing attempt from Meta to stop copycat creators. In July, the company said it took down 10 million profiles impersonating other content creators and "took action on" 500,000 accounts engaged in spammy behavior.