Video Piracy... WE Stop it says Google

Google Inc. unveiled new tactics to help fight video piracy on its popular YouTube Web site and ease the concerns of critical media content providers.
The early reviewers applaud the Internet giant for finally moving forward on the piracy issue but say the new system -- which Google developed itself -- still needs further refining. In what may be Google's biggest challenge, it only just Monday began reaching out to entertainment providers for the material it needs to make it effective.
Google began offering what it's calling "YouTube Video Identification," which will make it easier for the likes of Viacom Inc. to identify their content and to manage how it is made available on the site.
Before Monday, YouTube only had automated means, licensed from a third-party provider, to identify audio material contained in the videos that may infringe copyrights. The latest advance, which Google developed itself, is meant to identify potentially infringing video content.
Google said nine media firms, including Walt Disney Co. and Time Warner Inc., participated in a test of the product.
Several other media firms, including Viacom, also said they were encouraged by the new effort, but said Google and YouTube have some amount of goodwill to make up to copyright owners.
"We're delighted that Google appears to be stepping up to its responsibility and ending the practice of profiting from infringement," said Mike Fricklas, general counsel of Viacom.
Several media companies, primarily Viacom and NBC Universal, were growing annoyed at what they said was intentional delays for Google and YouTube to come up with a technology solution to piracy.
Patrick Ross, executive director of the Copyright Alliance, a trade group of media companies and other copyright holders, described what YouTube's doing as "a first step."
"In this digital age, it's very important that when businesses make money off of other people's content, they make an effort to police that content," he said.
Mr. Ross said one concern was whether Google would offer its anti-piracy technology only to content owners who signed licensing deals favorable to YouTube, putting small copyright holders at a disadvantage. Google said this technology is open to anybody, regardless of what their business relationship is with the site.
YouTube's announcement Monday may have been designed to pre-empt a planned announcement from several media and technology companies for a set of principles for user-generated content Web sites. The principles, according to people familiar with the matter, included a recognition of the importance of technology to keep pirated material off sites like YouTube.
Google had been part of the discussions over the set of principles, which were slated to be announced in coming days, according to the people familiar with the matter.
Meanwhile, there's no immediate signs Monday of any let-up in the $1 billion copyright-infringement class-action lawsuit that Viacom filed against YouTube, according to a review of court records. Rather than moving toward a settlement, both sides appear to be steaming ahead with the litigation.
In its suit, one of several such cases involving YouTube, Viacom alleges YouTube and Google have passed on thousands of videos illegally copied from "The Daily Show With Jon Stewart" and other popular Viacom properties.
One of the demands Viacom is making in its suit is for Google to be more proactive in fighting piracy.
In response, Google and YouTube have said their legal obligation ends at taking down clips when the copyright owners ask them to do so.
The free-flow of pirated material onto YouTube has been constant throughout its history despite several anti-piracy efforts YouTube has attempted. As a consequence, powerful media companies have balked at reaching licensing deals to distribute their content to YouTube.