On Thursday (December 2, 2010) Google, historically slow to assist in the war against copyright piracy and infringement, announced steps that it would be taking to increase its role as a defender of the rights of content owners. In the past Google has taken the position with the RIAA, MPAA and others that it is not Google’s job to aggressively monitor and “take down” copyright infringing activities associated with Google’s sites.
Among new anti-piracy and anti-infringement actions announced by Google are (1) a promise to “act on reliable copyright takedown requests within 24 hours” and (2) to start removing sites linked to piracy from Google’s Ad Sense program.
Cnet News speculates that the change in position by Google is prompted by their inability to negotiate successfully with content providers for Google TV and to benefit negotiations with the major record labels for Google’s proposed music site which will compete with iTunes. Oh you mean the change doesn’t have something to do with enforcing laws on the books or protecting the owners and creators of copyrighted works?! It’s all about the money – but we knew that from the beginning, didn’t we?
As long as they can get away with it or do not fear the consequences, pirates will steal and will create profitable ways to facilitate theft by illegal file sharers. The tech world will support weakening laws that cause them to have to pay for content. And at the end of the day, it is also about the money for the kids and others who illegally download music and films. Otherwise, why not just pay for it?
My sources for this Post are as follows: Cnet News, “Has Google Jumped Sides The Copyright War?”; ZeroPaid, “Google to Speed Up Removal of Infringing Content”; and Music Ally, “Google Takes Action Against Online Copyright Infringement”.
Copyright © 2010 C. Stephen Weaver
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