Meta Launches Automated Defense Against Stolen Reels
Engadget reports that Meta is rolling out a significant new tool designed to combat one of creators’ most persistent headaches: content theft. The Facebook content protection tool automatically detects when creators’ original Reels get stolen and reposted without permission, giving creators real control over what happens next.
How the New Tool Works
The mobile-based tool leverages Meta’s existing Rights Manager technology to scan Facebook for reposts of any Reel a creator originally published. Once a match is found, creators have three clear options: block the copied content’s visibility across both Facebook and Instagram, track its performance while adding attribution links back to the original creator, or release the claim entirely.
Creators can see important metrics for each repost, including view counts, follower counts of the accounts posting stolen content, and monetization status—helping them decide whether a repost is worth taking action on.
Current Availability and Limitations
The tool is currently available only to Facebook creators in the monetization program who meet enhanced integrity standards. While the rollout is mobile-only for now, Meta is testing adding the feature to the Professional Dashboard on desktop.
Addressing a Growing Problem
This move comes as content theft has exploded across social platforms. Meta previously announced it removed around 10 million profiles impersonating large content creators and took action against 500,000 accounts engaged in spammy behavior or fake engagement. By integrating content protection directly into the Facebook app, Meta aims to make creator protection feel less like administrative paperwork and more like part of daily workflow.
The new tool represents a meaningful step forward in platform-level enforcement, shifting the burden of monitoring from individual creators to Meta’s automated systems—though questions remain about how well it handles AI-generated copies of creator work.