Monday, March 03, 2014

[artrojmu] YouTube Content ID for duplicates only

Consider modifying the availability of YouTube's Content ID system only to identify duplicates of content already on YouTube, for example, someone accompanying a video with a song for which the official music video is also on YouTube.  This allows the owner to monetize being the only provider of it (copyright is legalized monopoly), and encourages owners to put their content on YouTube.

Inspired by the question, what financial incentive does YouTube have in providing this powerful Content ID tool to some large content owners anyhow?  I don't think YouTube is required by law to do so.  Content owners can attempt to discover infringing content the same way everyone else finds content and submit DMCA takedown requests; why should certain entities get access to more powerful search tools?

The financial incentive is (I think) by playing nice with large content owners, YouTube can encourage them to publish on YouTube as opposed to elsewhere.  However, the current tool provides power far beyond what will benefit YouTube financially, and may in fact be hurting YouTube through the abuse of the tool.  They seem to have unleashed a monster.

Inspired by Lawrence Lessig vs. Liberation Music.

No comments :