MySpace today announced that it has implemented a pilot program to block videos containing unauthorized copyrighted content from being posted in its community. With the program’s launch, MySpace becomes the largest Internet video site filtering content.

Using digital fingerprinting technology licensed from Audible Magic, MySpace’s filter screens video uploaded by users and blocks any video matching a fingerprint in MySpace’s database.

“MySpace is dedicated to ensuring that content owners, whether large or small, can both promote and protect their content in our community,‚Äù said Chris DeWolfe, CEO and co-founder of MySpace. ‚ÄúFor MySpace, video filtering is about protecting artists and the work they create.‚Äù

MySpace’s new video filter comes on the heels of the audio filtering MySpace launched last fall, screening audio files uploaded by users to hinder any unauthorized music uploads. MySpace has also developed and is making available a special content takedown tool to make it easier and more efficient for copyright owners to request removal of any user-posted content they claim is unauthorized.
MySpace is already blocking users from uploading any audio or video files containing Universal Music Group’s music that is not authorized, while allowing all of the extensive free authorized promotional uses that UMG and its artists currently enjoy on MySpace. NBC/Universal and Fox also are participating in the pilot program. MySpace has offered the full-range of its content protection tools to all other major music labels and to other content owners, free of charge.

Vance Ikezoye, CEO and founder of Audible Magic said, “With the explosive growth and popularity of MySpace, the recognition and filtering of copyrights will play an important role in its ongoing success.”

Source: MySpace, via Reuters