Before any of us came to be a part of Haulix, including founder Matt Brown, we all ran our own music blogs with numerous contributors scattered all over the world. At the time, there were no services like ours, so almost every promotional release was delivered via CD through the postal service. This meant site owners and editors would either have to forward the music to their writers through the mail at their own expense, or they would have to open the mail, copy the CD contents to their hard drive, upload the files to a random file-sharing service, and then a share link to download those files with whatever staffer was assigned to tackle that particular review. Believe it or not, most chose the latter, despite being the far more time-consuming option.
Haulix was created with the hope of not only eliminating the costs associated with distributing physical promos, but also to help better the security placed around unreleased music being shared online. The first goal was accomplished almost as soon as we came online, as our membership plans are far more affordable than any physical promotional distribution could ever be, but ensuring the safety of releases is something we continue to try and perfect to this day. We offer watermarking services, automated takedown tools, and a number of additional safeguards, which we hope to expand further in the years to come.
Truth be told, the most common way leaks occur is through human error or basic negligence, and we hope to correct that – to some degree – with this post.
WHEN YOU RECEIVE A HAULIX PROMO IT IS INTENDED TO BE CONSUMED BY YOU AND YOU ALONE. If you read the fine print we include with almost every invite, this information is made very clear:
Please note by accessing any of this material, you acknowledge and/or consent to the following terms and conditions.
1. You won’t share this invitation.
2. The material will be used by you and you alone.
3. The material is watermarked with a unique identifier.
4. If the material is “leaked” and traced back to you, we will seek applicable restitution.
The reason for this is not only to protect the music you have been sent, but to protect you and your reputation within music as well. As most of the content sent through our system has a unique watermark, any content you share can and will be traced back to you in the event that content leaks online. Our system injects a watermark as soon as you click play or download on our platform, and that watermark includes a bunch of information about you, including your name and IP. That information stays with the music every time its used moving forward. If you download the album, upload the files to dropbox, then allow others to download the record, every person who access those files will be using content that has your name and information embedded in the details. If they leak it, or if for some reason a third party accesses their computer and leaks the files, the only person we will be able to trace everything to is you, the person who originally downloaded the album. It doesn’t matter if you actually leaked it or not because the agreement you made by accessing the material in the first place was to keep it safe. Period.
So, how do I share the promos I am sent with the various contributors I have assigned to review each release? The answer is simple, YOU DON’T.
The best and most secure way to get your writers the promos they want and need is to request the band and/or publicist send that person a copy entirely their own through our platform. That way, any watermarks attached to the file point to the individual covering the album and not you, thus taking the responsibility for the content’s safety off your shoulders (a bit – you should still make sure your writers are not pirates in disguise).
More importantly, requesting that a copy of an album be sent to the assigned writer allows our clients to know exactly who is engaging with their content. This gives a peace of mind no amount of email promises to keep things safe ever could. It will also go a long way toward strengthening your relationship with a publicists or band as it shows you can be trusted to follow the proper procedures for handling these materials, which is something everyone working on the press side of the business deeply appreciates.
For your own safety, as well as the continued livelihood of the artists, publicists, and labels who rely on Haulix to distribute their releases, please do not share you promos. Request additional copies as needed, but never share the content you have been given with other people. The risk is simply not worth it.
