Tuesday, January 3, 2012

What’s Coming In 2012: The Content Industry Strikes Back

paidcontent reporting: he online content industry is shaped by a 1998 set of rules called the DMCA that is supposed to strike a balance between protecting intellectual property and encouraging online commerce and creativity. But content owners say the balance has become unfair and that other players in the digital space—web hosts, search companies, payment processors, etc—should assume more responsibility in protecting brands and IP rights.
In 2011, content owners took a double-barreled approach to changing the balance. This involved pursuing court appeals to erode so-called ‘safe harbors’ while at the same time attempting to push through a new law called the Stop Online Piracy Act that would effectively tear up the 1998 rules. The content owners came up short this December after opponents bottled SOPA up in committee and a California court confirmed that video-sharing site Veoh did not have to actively police its users.
But 2011 was just the opening act. Content owners are also placing their hopes on the ongoing YouTube-Viacom (NYSE: VIA) appeal (a decision is expected any day) that has the potential to tee up an eventual Supreme Court review of how different businesses must police unauthorized online content. As for SOPA, the bill’s bipartisan backing is eroding quickly in response to warnings from both liberal and conservative thought leaders about its potential consequences. But SOPA supporters have vowed they will pass it all the same in early 2012...
http://paidcontent.org/article/419-whats-coming-in-2012-the-content-industry-strikes-back/

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