Referrals made to audio streaming platforms

Freedom of information request reference no: 01.FOI.22.023734

I note you seek access to the following information:

As part of this, can you please confirm whether referrals are ever or have ever been made to audio streaming platforms such as Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon Music, YouTube Music?

--Original request--

1. How many people are currently employed to work on Operation Domain, and at what cost to the tax payer? (Operation Domain is understood to be the Met's operation to identify and remove music videos from YouTube; if the name has since changed then please provide details of this change).

2. In 2019 it was stated in a response to an FOI request that the Met was seeking to replicated its partnership with YouTube "with other platforms where content is being seen."

3. How many other platforms has the partnership since been replicated with, and what are their names?

Decision

I have today decided to disclose the located information to you in full.

Please find below information pursuant to your request above.

As part of this, can you please confirm whether referrals are ever or have ever been made to audio streaming platforms such as Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon Music and YouTube Music?

Yes the MPS has made a number of referrals to music streaming sites seeking the removal of content where officers believe the material will incite gang violence and parallels the removal of the same content from social media platforms. These include Spotify, Sound Cloud, Audio Mack, iTunes and YouTube Music.

As is the case with the social media companies, the MPS continues to engage with streaming sites to better understand the reality of the links between online activity and ‘real world’ offline offending.