In "MySpace, MTV test piracy-profit plan", Andrew Wallenstein (Reuters) tells of a new technology that enables IP content owners to profit from piracy: it's about to get a high-profile test from MySpace and MTV Networks. The idea is that, "Instead of triggering the usual take-down notices, copyright-infringing footage of select MTV Networks programing uploaded by MySpace subscribers would be automatically redistributed with advertisements that would generate revenue for the companies".Tech firm Auditude has developed the technology, using a combination of patented assets: a sophisticated ad-serving platform with a video-fingerprinting system that cross indexes billions of seconds of TV and online footage in seconds. For the trial, MTV Networks is allowing Auditude to track only a mix of a handful of current and archived materials. The Auditude technology is said to be similar to that employed by YouTube.
This would not seem a risk-free strategy. Presumably the technology that enables copyright-infringing footage to be replaced with advertising material will equally enable advertising material to be replaced with pirated programmes.
