Big Media Wants More Piracy Busting From Google

suraj.sun writes "Last month, executives from two music-industry trade groups, the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) and the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry (IFPI), asked Google if it could provide a means to help them track down pirated material more efficiently. Typically, copyright owners are responsible for finding pirated links and alerting Google, which is required by law to quickly remove the links. But Google's response raised eyebrows at some of the labels. James Pond, a Google manager, wrote in a letter dated September 20, that Google would be happy to help — for a price."

Comments

Well duh

[Arancaytar]

It's only evil if you're not getting paid for it.

Re:Well duh

[bzipitidoo]

Want has nothing to do with it. Data, including music, is inherently free. No deal with Google or any other business, nor any law is going to change that.

Anyone can potentially commit millions in copyright infringement in under a minute by simply giving a thumbdrive loaded with music to another individual. There is no practical way for 3rd parties to know of that, let alone prevent it. No evidence to cover up.

The industry can still get people for public uses. But chasing down individuals is hopeless. Except for those few lives messed up, it's amusing watching them try. Google surely understands this, so perhaps asking for money is their way of disingenuously saying no. The cartels should stop making such stupid demands. As it is, Google is being squeezed. If they outright refuse, they get sued. So they have to tread carefully, and give the cartels something reasonable that forces them to realize that they're asking the impossible. This is something the cartels won't be able to do much with, and they will have a hard time blaming Google for not being more cooperative. It would be better if we could stop pussyfooting around, and just laugh the cartels off.

Of course

[war4peace]

I mean, was there any shadow of doubt? It's a request for a service which Google can provide, but is not mandatory, either by law or by Google's internal rules and regulations.
I see no faux pas here. Pay enough and we will help you.
I only hope the price is sufficiently high.

OK, question time

[the_other_chewey]

WTF is a pirated link?

And the problem is?

[davmoo]

Google will have to have employees spend many hours of labor doing this. Of course they should expect to be paid for it by the content owners. Only a group of idiots like the RIAA would expect them to do it for free.

Re:And the problem is?

[dcollins]

You could call them "idiots" or you could call them "tyrants with a limited fief".

They're entirely accustomed to making outrageous demands and having others bend over immediately. Heck, this could be an opening salvo before lobbying the legislature to make it mandatory, no compensation to Google.

Evil or not?

[seeker_1us]

The Google response seems entirely appropriate. The MAFIAA runs around like spoiled, bullying children. Google's response is "yeah, you need a job done, maybe you should consider paying for it."

And you know what? I'd trust Google a hell of a lot more than Id trust the other MAFIAA goons. I bet Google would at least make sure who the "infringing" material belonged to.

Read between the lines

[shoehornjob]

What he really said is "We don't want to fight your fight. Now pay me or fuck off."

Re:RIAA "haha"

[aliquis]

All I want to know is how much I have to pay Google to not be included? :D

Re:The summary...

[Kilrah_il]

I'm sorry, but if I have to choose between the summery, which is pure Flamebait material, and the article which actually makes sense, I would surely go with option 1. Why pass on an opportunity to laugh at the "Do no evil" slogan?

Re:Search is what they do

[TENTH SHOW JAM]

Their whole business model is designed around selling advertisements next to things you have found.

The RIAA and friends will not be purchasing things from the ads. Google need to recoup the losses of using the system somehow. Google choose to do this with a flat fee. There are some days when I'd pay for Google without the ads. I say bring on GoogleSubscriber. All the results, none of the ads.