Music Biz 2023

Shuman is the former Click Fraud Czar at Google (aka Head of Global Product for Trust and Safety), responsible for protecting their $23B annual pay-per-click advertising revenue against click fraud and other forms of abuse, and one of the most sought after cybersecurity experts in the world. He was chief technology officer for Shape Security, which was acquired in 2020 for $1 billion by F5 Inc, where he became head of artificial intelligence. He wrote his master's thesis at MIT in 2002 on "Advanced Peer-Based Technology Business Models" which is another way of saying music streaming long before the concept was popularized. In this session, we will highlight how cybersecurity is now a multi-trillion dollar concern and affects every business, government, and individual. The music industry has its own unique forms of fraud and abuse to contend with as a result of new technologies, and in this discussion moderated by Beatdapp’s Morgan Hayduk and Andrew Batey, we  will discuss how strategies and tactics for successful mitigation from other sectors may be used in our industry, and draw analogies from Shuman’s work across verticals, including online advertising, retail, airlines, and banking to our specific experience fighting streaming fraud in music.

This panel is part of Scammers Beware: How The Music Industry Is Combating Spin Fraud.
Over the past decade, digital platforms have significantly leveled the playing field for independent artists, giving them an edge when it comes to getting music heard, and social media has made building and connecting with audiences easier than ever before. The very same tools that enable artists to build brands and grow a following allow for scammers to do the same, using disingenuous branding and manipulative tactics to convince artists of their expertise in order to swindle them out of money. During this panel, we will hear from experts with specific experience fighting streaming fraud in music and other verticals such as online advertising and banking. We will discuss the critical steps that the industry should take to safeguard artists, consumers, and the integrity of our ecosystem. Further, we will highlight the tools & systems that are emerging to protect human intellectual capital.