Music on Snapchat Guidelines

Music can capture your emotions, heighten your expressiveness, articulate how you really feel and set the mood for a moment. That’s why we’ve started offering a library of music (which we call, “Sounds”) that you can add to photo and video messages using the Snapchat camera (which we call “Snaps”). We’re excited to see what you create with Sounds, but please keep in mind that your use must comply with the following guidelines, which supplement the Snap Terms of Service.

No unauthorised music experience

You may not create, send or post Snaps using Sounds in a way that creates an unauthorised music listening service or premium music video streaming service.

Political or religious use

While we support self-expression, including about politics and religion, we also believe that artists have the right to determine when and how their works are used in political and religious statements. As such, you may not use Sounds in political or religious speech.

Prohibited content

You may not use Sounds to create, send or post Snaps that would otherwise violate the Snap Terms of Service, such as:

  • Snaps that are unlawful

  • Snaps that are threatening, pornographic, constitute hate speech, incite violence or contain nudity (other than breastfeeding or other depictions of nudity in non-sexual contexts) or graphic or gratuitous violence

  • Snaps that violate or infringe someone else's rights including, without limitation, the right of publicity, privacy, copyright, trademark or other intellectual-property right.

Fundamental character of work

You may not alter the fundamental character of the melody or lyrics of Sounds or create adaptations of Sounds. You may not use Sounds in a manner that is objectionable or offensive (in our sole discretion) or that may expose us, our licensors, the Services or other users to any liability or detriment.

No commercial use

Sounds may only be used for your personal, non-commercial use. For example, Sounds may not be used to create, send or post Snaps (or a series of Snaps) that are sponsored by, promote or advertise any brand, products, goods or services.

Unauthorised distribution or use

Snaps using Sounds may only be sent or posted through the Services. You may not send, share or post Snaps with Sounds on third-party services. Unauthorised distribution of Snaps containing Sounds are subject to any applicable laws, including copyright infringement laws, and the rights, policies and authority of any applicable third-party service.

To the extent that you use Sounds in a way that does not comply with these guidelines, such use may be removed from the Service without notice to you, and you may be subject to enforcement under applicable laws, including copyright infringement laws.   The music available in Sounds is provided under licence from third parties. You are not permitted to use any of this music for text or data mining purposes without a separate licence from the applicable rights holder(s). All such rights are reserved to the applicable rights holders.

If your content contains music other than Sounds, you are responsible for obtaining any necessary licences and rights that may be required for such music. Any such content may be muted, removed or deleted if your use of music is not authorised. Violations of these Music Guidelines may lead to deactivation of your Snap account. Sounds may not be available in all regions.