Meta is introducing new ways for brands to find out if others are using their intellectual property (IP) accounts on Facebook and Instagram.
A utility from Meta called Brand Rights Protection is being updated with improved search functionality that allows businesses and brands to search by image. The tool will uncover other types of content, including posts on Facebook and Instagram, using that image.
Businesses will be able to report content using their IP without permission, prompting Meta to investigate and remove the offending content.
This new search feature is part of a series of updates to Meta’s Brand Rights Protection tool, which is available exclusively to businesses with registered trademarks.
From a search enthusiast’s perspective, I find it interesting that Meta has a search tool that is not available to the public.
This article will look at what you can do with brand protection and how to access it.
Finding stolen content with Meta’s brand rights protection
Brand Protection allows brands to identify and report counterfeit, trademark, copyright infringement and impersonation content.
Meta’s blog describes what brand rights protection is and what it’s for:
“The tool, available in Business Manager, can be used to find content that abuses a brand’s intellectual property or impersonates them, send Meta a request to remove content, track the status of those requests and add benchmark images to automatically detect potentially infringing content.”
The tool allows brands to search and report:
Facebook or Instagram ads
Facebook or Instagram posts
Facebook Shops, marketplace, buy and sell groups
Facebook Pages, profiles or groups,
Instagram accounts
Items in bold have recently been added along with a series of updates announced today.
Meta is also introducing a streamlined reporting process with automatic extraction.
Previously, it took Meta a day to review and remove content after submitting a request to remove it. Brands with a history of reliable reporting are eligible for automatic capture.
Brands can also use the new permission list, which allows rights holders to upload a list of Facebook Pages and Instagram accounts that have permission to use their IP.
Meta will automatically recommend ads, commercial listings, Facebook Pages and Instagram accounts for brands to consider based on previous reports.
Eligibility
Businesses with a registered trademark can apply for access to Meta’s Brand Rights Protection Tool.
To apply for Brand Rights Protection, businesses must meet the following requirements:
The business must have a business manager account
The brand must have a registered trademark
The trademark must be active, textual or graphic
Business has no history of intellectual property infringement
Applicant must be an employee of the brand or business
Once you apply and have access to brand protection, you can find it in the drop-down menu in Meta’s Business Manager.
If you don’t have access to brand protection and encounter content infringement on Facebook or Instagram, you can request removal using one of Meta’s report forms.
