What is an interactive stream, permanent download, or limited download?

Digital service providers may provide one or more of these types of user experiences to consumers of their services:

Interactive Stream: A digital transmission of a sound recording where the consumer has control over which sound recording to stream and in what order to stream it. An example of this is the user experience offered by Spotify and Apple Music.

Permanent Download: A digital transmission of a sound recording in the form of a download, where the consumer has unlimited control over how many times to access it. An example of this are the recordings available for download in the iTunes Store.

Limited Download: A digital transmission of a sound recording where the consumer has limited control over either the length of time or the number of times they can access it. An example of this are the recordings available for off-line access by Spotify and Apple Music.

Non-Interactive Stream: A digital transmission of a sound recording where the consumer has limited control over which sound recording to stream, in what order it appears, and how many times to stream it, similar to a radio broadcast.

The MLC grants licenses to, and collects and distributes royalties from, digital service providers for interactive streams, limited downloads, and permanent downloads. The MLC does not grant licenses to, nor collects royalties from, digital service providers for non-interactive streams.

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