Autonomy, an enterprise search co out of the UK, is sure to add to all the hoo-ha about copyright technology in the Google/YouTube/Rest of World kerfluffle with this announcement on deep copyright search from its Virage subsidiary. The release, in part:
Autonomy Corporation plc (LSE: AU. or AU.L), a global leader in infrastructure software for the enterprise and proponent of Meaning-Based Computing, today announced the release of Virage Automatic Copyright Infringement Detection (ACID). Virage ACID enables copyright owners such as broadcasters, production houses and publishers to maintain control of their Intellectual Property by automating the detection of illegal distribution of copyrighted material on the Internet.
Using Autonomy’s unique Meaning-Based Computing, which includes patented image and audio analysis technology, and powered by the Intelligent Data Operating Layer (IDOL), ACID offers a fast, accurate and scalable method of detecting breaches of copyright, wherever they are located and whatever format they are in. By automatically detecting any rich media that infringes an organization’s copyright, Virage ACID eliminates the need for content owners to spend hours trawling through video sharing websites, or manually scanning p2p file contents.
More coverage at Internetnews.com here.
I’m not a big fan of litigation usually (the only winners are usually the lawyers), but I wonder if in this case a single good class-action suit against a law firm or copyright holder would be enough to stop the flow of spurious, auto-generated take-down notices, where no human has actually reviewed the content to see if it matches.
The damages (lost time, legal fees, etc.) are small in each individual case, but a few thousand web site owners together could bring a big enough claim chill the process, and force these law firms to do proper due diligence before sending out legal threats.
Note that this isn’t to say that automated scanners shouldn’t be used — it’s just that a human being should actually have to look or listen to verify a match before a letter goes out.
First of all, as I repetitively say, why didn’t Google develop this themselves? If they were going to go into the YouTube business, this technology is the first technology they should have developed, years ago.
Second, I don’t quite trust the claims: “ACID offers a fast, accurate and scalable method of detecting breaches of copyright, wherever they are located and whatever format they are in. By automatically detecting any rich media that infringes an organization’s copyright, Virage ACID eliminates the need for content owners to spend hours trawling through video sharing websites, or manually scanning p2p file contents.”
So technically, if I go to my home studio, and record a version of myself singing “My Humps” by the Black Eyed Peas, that recording violates the copyright of the original.
If I upload my version to the network, can Virage ACID find my version? If they can, that is a huge breakthrough. I would really like to see this technology.
I use ACID on a regular basis for my business and am quite content with it, seems to be a very eff3ective and handy utility for me.