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Recently I posted a video with Low by Flo Rida playing in the background. Within seconds of posting the video instagram temporarily removed it. A warning message appeared asking if I had the rights to use the song. If not, I had to confirm for the deletion of the video. If I did have the rights, I could appeal the temporary removal and Instagram would reinstate the video.

Why did Instagram remove my video?
Basically, it is a copyright issue. Copyright is the presentation of an idea in material form. The copyright owner, in this case Flo Rida, has the rights to reproduce the idea and exploit the song through reproduction and/or public dissemination, without others being allowed to copy that creative output.

What does this mean?
If you do not have permission from the copyright owner, you are infringing the rights to exploit their idea to the public. Copyright exists so the owner of an idea has free range to express their idea to the public without someone taking that idea and profiting from it. Copyright is an incentive for the public to be original and creative. The copyright owner has exclusive rights to their expressed idea. If you wish to use it, you need to obtain permission from the copyright owner.

If you want to use someone else’s copyright, ask for permission. You would have seen in recent media articles that Foxtel are proposing to sue the live streamers of the Danny Green v Anthony Mundane fight. This is as Foxtel would have had the exclusive rights from the copyright owners.
Exclusive rights mean that you are the only ones who are able to use the copyright and anyone else using the copyright, are merely infringing.

By Instagram asking if I have permission means they have detected the song is copyrighted and are protecting the copyrighter’s interests. A warning must be given to remove the copyrighted material. If it is not removed, then the copyright owner has grounds to sue for damages and obtain an order from the Court to restrain use in future.