Google Finally Launches YouTube Anti-Piracy Tool

Back in July, amidst the controversy of copyright lawsuits, Google hinted at the development of a video recognition technology for YouTube that would help the curb the posting of copyrighted material onto the video community.

Originally planned for a September release, the antipiracy tool has finally made its way onto YouTube, according to Webware.

This new tool, however, is not a completely automated process and, without the help of content owners, may not be able to catch 100% of the copyright videos that are constantly making their way to YouTube viewers.

The Video ID technology (developed in-house) from Google has the ability to identify pirated video as it is uploaded, but only after original content owners provide copies of their content to YouTube to be included on the site. Once the content owner uploads videos, they can then specify whether they want to block others from uploading copies of it. Elinor Mills also noted that users "can also ask YouTube to allow others to post it and put ads next to it or otherwise promote it on their sites."

"The automated YouTube video ID system looks at all video as it is uploaded and tries to match it with a database of visual abstractions of the copyrighted material that has been provided by content owners. If the system finds a match it will either block it, post it, or–depending upon the policy specified by the content owner–put ads on it, with the revenue being shared with the content owner."

When asked why the development's launch was behind schedule, YouTube product manager David King responded saying, "Building a system like this is extremely complex. This is actually a project that Google had been working on for a number of years already and then when the (YouTube) acquisition went through we ramped it up as a priority. It literally has taken until now to get the technology right."

Google has mentioned that there is the possibility that some content, in which the owners have opted to block others from uploading, may make it onto the site, but not for more than a few minutes before the new system catches and removes the offending video.

YouTube executive seem to be very proud with the system having stated that is is "the first image-recognition technology implemented on any large scale," and also that Time Warner, Disney and CBS (who have been testing the technology) are very pleased with it.

That's all good and well, but it will be very time-consuming for production studios and content owners to have to provide all of their content to YouTube before it can be blocked from being added by others. Despite the fact that 3 major companies are pleased, YouTube testing of the technology was conducted by 9 companies in total. What exactly was the reaction from the other 6?

I give it only a matter of time before this development has to go back under the knife to become more automated. If any copyrighted material makes it onto YouTube at all, they stand a chance for future lawsuits, and I don't see this first version being the tool to end piracy on YouTube.