Filed under: Copyright Issue, Copywriting, Google, Integrity, Intellectual Property, Legal Issues, Viral Videos, YouTube

YouTube has to fork over viewer records to plaintiff Viacom as a result of the recent law suit regarding copyright issues.  I understand Viacom’s desire for that, but I disagree with the ruling.

The cool thing is that Google - YouTube’s parent company - has successfully negotiated with Viacom to scrub and data that can be used to identify users.  Names and IP addresses are gone.

So, it’s likely, regarding privacy, the problem’s over in this particular case.

But there are two buts. Read more…

No Comments » Posted on July 16th, 2008 by Jonathan Trenn

Filed under: Aggregation, Blowback, Brand Promotion, Brand Protection, Case Studies, Citizen Generated Media, Content Filtering, Content Management Solution, Content Management System, Controversial Marketing, Copyright Issue, Copywriting, Corporate Responsibility, Crisis Management, Google, Google YouTube, Honesty, Information Technology, Integrity, Intellectual Property, Internet Culture, Internet Strategy, Legal Issues, New Media Strategy, New Technology, Online Brand Protection, Peer-to-Peer, Technology, Television, Video Over IP, Viral Advertising, Viral Marketing, Viral Media, Viral Propagation, Viral Videos, Web Strategy, YouTube, YouTube Marketing

The current legal battle between Viacom and Google/YouTube is going to have significant ramifications beyond today’s headlines.  It’s getting surprisingly little play amongst much of the social media digerati, but it’s something we all need to be aware of.

The lawsuit and the proceedings around it are truly a sign of the times.  It’s a direct outgrowth of what we’ve been emerging via the internet over the past several years.  Sites such as YouTube have essentially become free communicative vehicles to not only view, but  share and alter video productions of all types.  The concept of “share” is important because most of us use it.  But in reality, it is a nice way of saying “distribute”.  And from distribute comes distribution - a fundamental with tremendous legal ramifications.

Alter is a tough one too.  The “mash-ups” that many in social media and digital marketing talk of enthusiastically can be as problematic.  As, I guess, it should be.  At least in some cases.  An artist creates an original piece of work.  Then distributes it, usually netting some sort of financial gain.  Others take it, and now because of new tools can alter it and redistribute it.  Many times this new process leads to lost potential revenue for the original artist. Read more…

2 Comments » Posted on July 11th, 2008 by Jonathan Trenn

Filed under: Abraham Harrison LLC, Branded Entertainment, Broadcast Advertising, Commercials, Copyright Issue, Intellectual Property, Internet, Internet Strategy, Mainstream Media, Old Media, Online Applications, Online Avertising, Online Brand Promotion, Online Engagement, Online Entertainment, Streaming Video, Television, Television Over IP, Television on Demand, Web Advertising, YouTube, YouTube Marketing

Millions of netizens - including me - have taken a great liking to YouTube. And for good reason. You can find videos of practically anything you want. It’s given us the hilarious, the creative, the intriguing. I’ve learned a lot from watching some old videos and have found scenes of old movies that I loved and wanted to see again.

That being said, NBC’s recent closing of its channel on YouTube and pulling of its videos content show us that YouTube, as an entity, is far from being completely vital to content distribution. When push comes to shove, it is actually expendable. At least, that is, to big media companies that have significant amounts of valuable content.

Read more…

3 Comments » Posted on October 23rd, 2007 by Jonathan Trenn

Filed under: Copyright Issue, File Sharing, Peer-to-Peer, Piracy

It looks like the obsolete medium known as the “book” is hot enough to result in piracy, at least in the case of the upcoming Harry Potter book, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. Apparently someone took the time to scan every page of the book, pre-release and currently shrouded in secrecy, and float the copies online, all 784 pages of it.

“Well, you won’t read it here. But in this digital age where secrets are getting harder to keep, copies of “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows” were posted online in several places, including a Milpitas-based social networking site.” Via Newsday, Sky.com, Detroit Free Press, and Inside Bay Area

It will be interesting to see how the publishing industry responds. I guarantee you that the response will be just like that of the RIAA.

1 Comment » Posted on July 18th, 2007 by Abraham Harrison


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