How copyright affects your videos and earnings on Teka — what music you can use and what to avoid.
When uploading a video, you will be asked to declare your audio source. This determines whether your video is eligible for monetisation:
Music, sounds, or voiceovers you created yourself. You own the full rights.
Music from royalty-free libraries that allow commercial use. Keep your licence proof.
Music you have explicitly licensed for commercial use from rights holders.
Music of uncertain copyright status. Videos may be removed on valid copyright claims.
The following types of audio are permitted on Teka:
These are common mistakes that lead to copyright strikes:
| Violation | Action Taken |
|---|---|
| First verified copyright claim | Video removed or monetisation disabled on affected content. Warning issued. |
| Repeated copyright claims (2-3) | All monetisation on your account temporarily suspended pending review. |
| Persistent or severe infringement (4+) | Account suspended or permanently terminated. |
| Deliberate commercial-scale piracy | Immediate permanent account ban and potential referral to legal authorities. |
Earnings generated by videos subsequently found to be infringing copyright will be void and forfeited. We reserve the right to deduct any earnings already paid out for proven infringing content.
| Audio Type | Monetisation Status | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Original audio (your own) | ✓ Enabled | Full revenue share (50-60%) applies |
| Royalty-free music (commercial licence) | ✓ Enabled | Keep your licence documentation |
| Licensed commercial music | ✓ Enabled | Valid synchronisation licence required |
| Declared "Unknown Source" | ⚠ Disabled | Video may still be published but cannot earn |
| Detected/flagged copyright content | ✗ Disabled | Video may be removed; earnings voided |
| No audio / ambient sound only | ✓ Enabled | Full revenue share applies |
As a Teka creator, you are responsible for:
Looking for great music you can actually use? Here are recommended free resources for creators:
Free music & sound effects, many available for commercial use. Filter by licence type.
Free music under the Pixabay Content Licence — no attribution required for most tracks.
Curated high-quality free music. Filter by Creative Commons licence.
Huge library of original compositions by Kevin MacLeod, free under CC BY 4.0.
Professional royalty-free music. Free tier available with attribution; paid licences available.
Creator-focused royalty-free music platform. Free and paid plans, copyright-safe for content creators.
If you are a rights holder and believe your work is being used on Teka without authorisation, you may submit a copyright takedown notice to:
Email: support@teka-mh.co.za
Your notice must include:
We will review valid notices and take appropriate action promptly. Submitting false or misleading copyright notices is a violation of our terms and may have legal consequences.
If you believe your content was removed in error due to a copyright claim, you may submit a counter-notice to support@teka-mh.co.za including:
We will review counter-notices within 10 business days and notify you of the outcome.
No. Giving credit does not replace obtaining a licence. Copyright law requires permission from the rights holder, not just attribution. Using a song without a licence can still result in your video being removed, even if you credit the artist.
Royalty-free means you pay a one-time fee (or no fee) for a licence and can use the music without paying royalties on each use. It does NOT mean the music is free from copyright. Always check that the specific royalty-free licence you have permits commercial use and use in video content.
A cover doesn't transfer the rights to the original song's composition. Even if you re-record a cover yourself, the underlying song's composition (melody and lyrics) is still protected by copyright. Using a cover may still infringe the original composer's rights unless you have a cover licence.
If it's your first violation and you remove the content promptly, you will typically receive a warning rather than a strike. Act quickly when notified of a copyright claim. Repeatedly claiming accidents after multiple violations will not protect your account.
Fair use (US) and fair dealing (South Africa, UK, Australia) are legal defences that are determined case-by-case by courts — not by creators or platforms. Teka cannot guarantee that content claiming fair use will be protected from copyright claims. If you intend to use copyrighted material under a fair use/dealing argument, consult a legal professional first.
If you have a copyright question or need to report an infringement:
Email: support@teka-mh.co.za
Response time: 5 business days (copyright takedown notices are expedited)