YouTube content filters set for autumn launch

 

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By Simon Aughton

Posted on 30 Jul 2007 at 10:41

Google hopes to have content filtering software running on YouTube by September, to prevent unauthorised posting of copyright video.

The software is as sophisticated as fingerprinting technology used by the FBI, according to a Philip Beck, an attorney representing the YouTube ownerm in court. Google began testing the technology last month and Beck claims that it is on schedule for implementation in the autumn.

Google is currently defending itself against allegations by English football's Premier League and a US music publisher that YouTube deliberately encourages massive copyright infringement on its website to generate public attention and boost traffic.

Beck told US District Judge Louis L Stanton that the software will let copyright holders submit a digital fingerprint which will then be compared to videos that are uploaded. Any attempt to upload copyright content will be blocked within a minute or so, he claimed.

He said the technology's capabilities go a long way beyond what is required by copyright law. Lawyers for the plaintiffs welcomed the news but said YouTube should have acted earlier.

The FA Premier League and publisher Bourne Co are seeking unspecified damages and any profits YouTube made from advertising displayed alongside copyrighted videos. The case continues.