Copyright Filtering Snafu Shuts Down Hugo Awards Webcast
For years, digital rights advocates have warned that automatic filtering systems could shut down completely legitimate videos, blog posts or other material online.
That's because copyright issues aren't always clear-cut. Content creators can incorporate copyrighted material in a way that makes fair use of it. And owners can authorize clips to be shown in some contexts, but not others. But technological filters can't always account for those nuances.
Now advocates can point to a high-profile example of filtering gone awry: Sunday night, Ustream shut off a Webcast of the Hugo awards -- given for science fiction and fantasy writing -- due to a filter snafu. The stream cut out just as Neil Gaiman was accepting an award for writing an episode of "Doctor Who." In place of the Webcast was the notice, "Worldcon banned due to copyright infringement."
How did this happen? io9 reports that the awards ceremony included clips of the episode Gaiman wrote. That material -- which, not surprisingly, is copyrighted -- was flagged as infringing by Vobile, an enforcement company used by Ustream. As a result, the Webcast was stopped.
Ustream CEO and founder Brad Hunstable says that the company learned of the glitch right away, but wasn't able to resume the Webcast before the ceremony ended.
Hunstable adds that the company "suspended use of this third-party system until we are able to recalibrate the settings so that we can better balance the needs of broadcasters, viewers, and copyright holders."
Of course, Web sites shouldn't stream content that they know infringes copyright. But if sites expect to be considered reliable, they also need to make sure they aren't censoring material that's legitimate. In some cases, as Ustream found out, that might mean ensuring that staff has the ability to immediately override automated copyright tools.
Recent Daily Online Examiner Articles
-
Aereokiller Agrees To Change Name May 20, 4:38 p.m.
Aereokiller, embroiled in litigation with the TV networks, is putting at least one legal dispute behind ...
-
Appeals Court Turns Away Twitter's Challenge To Subpoena May 17, 4:55 p.m.
An appellate court in New York has dismissed Twitter's appeal of a ruling requiring it to ...
-
Apple: No 'Direct Evidence' Of Ebook Price-Fixing May 16, 5:10 p.m.
Did Apple conspire with book publishers to end Amazon's $9.99-per-ebook price? That's the question at the ...
-
AT&T Stirs Controversy With Data-Cap Plans May 15, 5 p.m.
AT&T CEO Randall Stephenson reportedly confirmed today that the carrier plans to let content companies pay ...
-
Pandora User Seeks To Revive Privacy Lawsuit May 14, 4:48 p.m.
In 2010, music service Pandora was one of the first companies to partner with Facebook for ...
-
New Bill Legalizes Cell-Phone Unlocking, DVD Ripping May 13, 5:05 p.m.
Consumers could once again have the right to unlock their cell phones, if a new law ...
-
Data-Cap Exemption For ESPN Raises Neutrality Concerns May 10, 6:40 p.m.
The sports network ESPN reportedly is talking with a major wireless carrier about a deal to ...
-
Righthaven Loses Bid To Revive Lawsuits May 9, 6:20 p.m.
Several years ago, attorney Steven Gibson and the publisher of the Las Vegas Review-Journal cooked up ...
-
Appellate Judge Says Google Books Offers 'Enormous' Benefits May 8, 4:59 p.m.
The Authors Guild's odds of winning its long-running lawsuit against Google appear to be dwindling, at ...
-
FTC Tells Data Brokers To Follow Consumer Protection Laws May 7, 6:30 p.m.
In its latest move against data brokers, the Federal Trade Commission has warned 10 companies that ...
Be the first to comment on "Copyright Filtering Snafu Shuts Down Hugo Awards Webcast"
Leave a Comment