MySpace promised back in October that it would get to grips with music piracy using MusicID audio fingerprinting technology from Gracenote, and this week went one step further and offered technology from a Gracenote rival to block the uploads of video as well, in a new pilot program introduced by MySpace using a system from Audible Magic.
Both new systems now seem to be operational and MySpace says that UMG, NBC Universal and Fox are participating in the pilot filter program, which will block unauthorized uploads whether they are music or video, while allowing the authorized, free promotional videos posted by the companies to be accessed by MySpace users.
“MySpace is dedicated to ensuring that content owners, whether large or small, can both promote and protect their content in our community,” said MySpace co-founder and CEO Chris DeWolfe. “For MySpace, video filtering is about protecting artists and the work they create.”
MySpace has also developed a special content removal tool to make it easier for copyright owners to request removal.
This is in stark contrast to YouTube, which promised copyright filtering at the same time as MySpace, but seems to be reluctant or unable to bring it into play.
MySpace made the promise because it realized that it was into a legal problem, with Universal Music Group telling reporters in November last year that one particular album had been leaked onto MySpace before it had reach retailers and it was threatening legal action.
MySpace says that it is the largest Internet video site to offer free video filtering to copyright holders, a remark aimed pointedly at YouTube, which it now considers a competitor, even though the two offer slightly different services.
It will be interesting to see if YouTube actually HAS a business model once it turns on music and video blocking services, and it will also be interesting to see how rapidly YouTube will move as growing legal objections to its system begin to mount. Last week it was asked to remove 100,000 copyrighted pieces of work.
Audible Magic has its own database of video fingerprints and its filtering technology is already used by Grouper, iMesh and PlayLouder.