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Microsoft Curbs Soapbox Sign-Ups Due To Piracy

Microsoft is closing the doors of its Soapbox video service to new users until it implements better safeguards to keep its users from uploading copyrighted materials. This means the establishment of content-filtering technology, now being built by Audible Magic, a service that's also used by News Corp.'s online properties.

The software giant has agreements with several big media companies to distribute movies and TV shows over the new video service, but it's already seen Soapbox fill up with unauthorized clips since its beta test began last month. As a result, no new subscribers will be added, but anyone who's a member of the test will continue to be able to access the site.

Microsoft is understood to be embarrassed by the presence of copyrighted materials on Soapbox. In light of its fierce rivalry with Google, Microsoft naturally wants to distance itself from the copyright controversy. Microsoft could have found itself distributing legitimate content from News Corp. or NBC Universal (as per its new agreement with the media giants) at the same time as another of its units was hosting stolen material from its partners. AOL and Yahoo are the other major video providers that have agreed to host content under the News Corp. NBC-Uni partnership.

Read the whole story at CNET News.com »

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