Kazakhstan's Music Returns to Instagram and Facebook

Kazakh music is once again available on Instagram and Facebook. The announcement was made by Sholpan Abdreyeva, Chairperson of the Intellectual Property Committee, during a briefing at the Central Communications Service, Orda.kz reports.

Back in November 2024, local tracks were removed from social media platforms due to expired licensing agreements, meaning there was no legal basis to use the content.

Both international and Kazakh law require either direct contracts with the creators or with organizations that represent their rights. Without such agreements, platforms are required to block content to avoid legal repercussions.

This wasn’t just a legal issue — it was a matter of principle. We are talking about the rights of our authors and the ability of millions of users to access Kazakh culture,Abdreyeva stressed. 

The Ministry of Justice, supported by the Ministry of Culture and Information, entered negotiations with international and local stakeholders, including Meta, the parent company of Instagram and Facebook.

Meta signed a two-year agreement with the KazAK, a national rights management organization. Music content has already started to reappear on the platforms as of last week.

Original Author: Artyom Volkov