Apple Music Doubles Fines for Streaming Fraud to 10%–50%

Overview

• The penalties now range from 10% to 50% of would-be royalties on a sliding scale, increased from the previous 5% to 25%, and fraudulent plays are also demonetized.
• A $1 million fraud case could incur a $500,000 fine on top of losing payment for the fake streams, according to Apple’s explanation reported by The Hollywood Reporter.
• Apple removed billions of manipulated streams in 2025, Oliver Schusser said, underscoring the scope of ongoing detection and removals.
• Formal penalties began in 2022, and Apple reported a 30% reduction in streaming manipulation in 2023 following those measures.
• Apple contends competitors struggle more with fraud and says its approach includes validating plays and stripping illegitimate counts and chart placements.