These Community Guidelines are current as of August 2023.
Welcome to BandLab
BandLab is a global social music platform that we’ve built to enable creators to make music and share the creative process with musicians and fans. BandLab combines music making and collaboration tools, like the world’s first cross-platform DAW with social features like video sharing, messaging and discovery. BandLab’s mission is to break down the technical, geographic and creative barriers between creators, collaborators and the music community.
BandLab uses new technologies to build a creative community, where people can share and develop ideas. All users should feel respected in the BandLab Community, and this is only possible if we all interact with mutual respect for each other’s talents and contributions.
We’ve laid out some important guidelines about our expectations of you while using BandLab. Please take the time to carefully read through this information. We take these guidelines seriously and expect you to do the same.
Thanks for joining us and helping to create the future of music, and thanks in advance for helping to make BandLab a great place to live, create, collaborate and share.
Our Principles of Music and Business
We’re guided by the following principles:
• Your music is your music and you should get to share it and prosper from it as you see fit. You are in control on BandLab.
• Collaboration has always been fundamental to music making. If you want to share your amazing idea with the world, we have created tools for you to do that on BandLab.
• We support music and creators. We’re here to help musicians and music fans to connect with each other, and we hope everyone in our community will want to do the same.
You should also read our Terms of Use, Privacy Policy, Cookies Policy, FAQs, and other policies, which govern your use of BandLab.
Intellectual Property
• BandLab supports music and creators. We believe that creators should get credit for the Content that they make and own, and we hope that you as a User share those beliefs.
• You are responsible for all activity associated with your Account on BandLab, including all Content that you post. Anyone who uploads or downloads another person’s Content without the necessary permissions, is liable to have that Content removed or to have their access to BandLab restricted or terminated.
• If you are unsure whether you can upload something, read our Copyright Information. If you feel that someone is infringing your copyright, tell us about it using the methods we’ve provided in our Copyright Information
• Please see our Copyright Information for more information on how we aim to protect copyright.
Respect
• BandLab is an open, global social platform, made up of a vibrant group of people with differing views, opinions, and cultural backgrounds. We support freedom of speech and the fundamental right for individuals to express themselves, and expect everyone else to do the same.
• Respecting each other on BandLab means following some basic principles:
¬ Don’t be a bully: We have zero tolerance for abusive or threatening behaviour within the community. We consider abuse to be any activity where the intent is to harass, attack or demean someone else. Anyone found to be engaging in this type of activity risks the immediate, permanent termination of their account.
¬ Constructive Feedback: We recognise that honest feedback is an essential element in a shared creative collaboration. It’s important to underscore that how we present that feedback matters. Remember that behind each track is a person. Feedback should always focus on the Content, and not on the individual who created it. Please share your opinion with others, but do so in a constructive way. Before posting feedback, ask yourself whether you would appreciate receiving the same feedback. If not, don’t post it.
¬ Privacy of others: Everyone has the right to privacy, no matter who they are. Don’t share personal details of another person (or entity) without their permission. This includes recordings of private conversations, photographs, credit card numbers, unlisted phone numbers, and home or email addresses. Don’t attempt to circumvent restrictions which BandLab and other Users have put in place to restrict access to certain information or Content. Do not post intimate photos, videos or audio recordings which were taken or distributed without the subject’s consent.
¬ Don’t pretend to be someone else: As a platform built with creator needs in mind, we welcome the use of stage names or professional identities on BandLab. However, that doesn’t mean that you can impersonate another person, or use names, logos or post Content that is intentionally misleading. As a rough guide, you must not create profiles or post Content that is intended to make people think you are someone else. You must not use someone else’s name or trademark, or a sign that is similar to their trademark, without their permission, or pretend to be associated with someone you aren’t, even if you feel that you are helping that person by doing so. If you feel that someone is impersonating you, or is infringing your trademark rights, tell us about it.
Self-promotion & building your audience
• BandLab aims to help creators connect directly with their fans. We understand that promoting your work is important, and we encourage you to seek out fans and other like-minded individuals. In our experience, the most successful forms of promotion are built upon meaningful interactions between creators and their audience.
• As much as we encourage active interaction, promotion and engagement, Spam is not meaningful interaction. Anyone deemed to be ‘spamming’ BandLab by posting repetitive comments, or repeatedly following and unfollowing the same accounts will be given a warning that could result in the termination of their account.
Forbidden Content
• As an open platform, freedom of expression is important to us. However, there are certain types of Content that have no place on BandLab. In order to protect the community and maintain positivity, please don’t post:
¬ Sexual Content: Remember that BandLab can be accessed by people as young as 13. Don’t post any Content that is predominantly sexual in nature, or that could be perceived as an aid to sexual gratification. This includes, but is not limited to, images containing nudity and recordings or detailed descriptions of sexual acts.
¬ Violence: Don’t post any Content that includes excessive violence, makes threats against a person or a group of persons, or which promotes acts of terrorism. This includes any Content that can be viewed as an attempt to incite violence, such as the use of firearms or other weapons in profile photos or posts, with an exception of in-uniform military or law enforcement.
¬ Hate speech: You are welcome to share your opinions and beliefs on BandLab, even if they might challenge the status quo. However, we will not tolerate Content that is defamatory or libellous or promotes or encourages hatred, discrimination or violence against others based on things like race, cultural identity or ethnic background, religious beliefs, disability, gender identity, or sexual orientation.
¬ False information: Do not post any Content that is fake, false, inaccurate or misleading.
¬ Illegal Activities: We have zero-tolerance for illegal activity on BandLab. You are not allowed to buy or sell firearms/explosives, illegal or prescription drugs, alcohol, tobacco/nicotine products or other regulated products on BandLab. You are also strictly forbidden from using BandLab to carry out or encourage others to carry out illegal activities e.g. online gambling casinos, money laundering, prostitution/sexual services etc.
Spam & prohibited services
• We aim for BandLab to be a spam-free zone. To support this effort, we have policies in place that prohibit both spammy activity and the use of related services which violate our Terms. What constitutes spamming will evolve as we respond to new tricks and tactics by spammers.
• The following is a list of conduct which we take into account when determining whether your conduct constitutes spamming. You should refrain from engaging in such conduct:
¬ Posting unsolicited links to commercial spam, i.e., profiles or Content whose sole aim is to drive traffic to external websites, via messages, comments, profile and track descriptions or artwork;
¬ Uploading or posting Content which consists mainly of links, and not substantive Content or comments;
¬ Posting or sending duplicate Content or comments over multiple accounts or multiple duplicate updates on one account;
¬ Creating multiple accounts with the intention of inflating the popularity of other profiles;
¬ Randomly or aggressively following, commenting on or editing Content posted by others;
¬ Repeatedly creating false or misleading Content, or creating misleading accounts or account interactions;
¬ Creating, using or promoting:
– Bots or other automated means to perform social interactions;
– Services that claim to boost a profile’s popularity such as followers, plays, likes, or reposts; and
– Services that sell social interactions or other forms of promotion on BandLab.
¬ Publishing or linking to malicious Content intended to damage or disrupt another person’s browser or computer or to compromise a person’s privacy;
¬ Squatting on usernames and selling usernames.
Tell us about it
• It’s possible that you might come across Content that you disagree with or find distasteful from time to time. If that’s the case, the best thing you can do is to ignore that Content and avoid it in the future. However, if you encounter any Content that crosses the line and breaches these Guidelines or our Terms of Use–including impersonation, abusive or threatening behaviour, pornography or malicious speech – tell us about it at support@bandlab.com. We have a dedicated team of people who will review all reports objectively, and remove any Content that violates these rules, or applicable law.
• Please bear in mind that something that you find unacceptable, may not be unacceptable to everyone. We try to maintain a fair and balanced approach, but reporting Content will not always result in that Content being removed if it does not break the rules. Either way, we will always let you know the outcome of your report.
If you break the rules
If we receive notification from a User or rights-holder that any Content uploaded to your account infringes their intellectual property, or if we believe that your activity violates any of these Guidelines, our Terms of Use, or any other policies, we have the right to terminate your account and/or bar your access to BandLab immediately and without prior warning. However, we will endeavour to warn you before we terminate your account and/or bar your access to BandLab.
To sum up
• Be considerate of others, respect the law and think about these guidelines before you post. We aim to make objective, fair decisions when Content is reported to us and in most cases, will send you a warning before we take any other measures. We think this is reasonable but if you don’t agree, maybe BandLab isn’t the place for you.
• Please note that we may change these Community Guidelines from time to time and reserve the right to do so. The most current version will always be available at this location.