MySpace & the fight against Copyright Infringement

Looking for ideas to write for this blog, I came across this article. It seems that MySpace, everyone’s favorite past time, especially during class, is launching a project to assist in the continuing struggle against copyright infringement.

http://www.ecommercetimes.com/story/WdCKRE2kdjsgza/MySpace-Attacks-Video-Piracy-With-New-Tech.xhtml

Summarizing what I read, MySpace’s project identifies content from large and small companies to assist in the protection of their creations where by they are even solicitating movie and TV content providers to participate in the program if they are not already enlisted.

The article touches upon the fact that MySpace.com & other sites like YouTube.com are at odds with copyright holders for materials that they allow to be displayed. The Article states that this is a proactive measure that they are taking to heading off potential copyright lawsuits and other disputes that may arise. Also stated in the article is that present recourse that content owners have through the DCMA (Digital Millennium Copyright Act), also referred to as a Safe Harbor Provision that provides a content owner a window to take down any infringed material among other rights, may be supplemented by this.

http://www.copyright.gov/reports/studies/dmca/dmca_executive.html

I found that the article brings attention to many issues, such as what really constitutes infringement? At what point will a company claim that their copyright is being infringed… surely when a video is played, but how about just displaying a picture? Is a copyright an absolute right or aren’t we allowed Fair-Use?

And in the end, how will this affect companies like MySpace… in an attempt to help protect themselves from copyright lawsuits, did the open Pandora’s box? Is this going to serve as a safeguard or will it inevitably just be a restriction that will need to be litigated down the road