AT&T tests anti-piracy waters
p2pnet news | DRM:- Given that AT&T is now selling pay-television services, it’s realized its interests are more closely aligned with Hollywood’s, says the company’s James Cicconi, quoted in DSLReports.
And you know what that means.
DRM.
“No specific technology has been announced,” the story goes on, but, “insiders say that AT&T has been testing a solution from Vobile since last Spring. Vobile insists their ‘Video DNA’ technology has a ‘a near-zero false positive rate’.”
AT&T has promised that whatever the technology, “they’ll be sure to protect subscriber privacy,” says DSLReports, also noting dryly:
“Given AT&T’s recent history, that’s not comforting privacy advocates.”
The company, “also risks a massive backlash from customers, given that it’s no secret (unless you’re in public relations, or denial) that piracy has been this industry’s killer app,” says the story, adding:
In addition to driving file traders to competing networks (if there are any), the filters, if implemented poorly, could accidentally block legitimate content.
Given that this could rile network neutrality advocates, marketing of the plan will be key. Business Week says the company is hard at work on how to pitch this technology to their users, with one plan being to first sell the solution as an anti-kiddie porn weapon.
AT&T working on ways to sneak the plan past users and it’s looking at hoisting a dodge much favoured by the entertainment cartels, namely, raise the spectre of kiddie porn.
“One possibility is to focus at first on using the technology as a way to filter illegal content, such as child pornography. “This could make it all seem a lot more
The story also has Business Week noting AT&T is in talks with NBC Universal and Walt Disney to help prevent specific trafficking of their content.
“NBC, in their never ending quest to help the American farmer, has been demanding that the FCC force ISPs to implement such filters, and has even advocated pirated content filters on home networking gear,” it says.
(Thanks, Mireille)
Also See:
DSLReports – AT&T Piracy Filters Tread Dangerous Ground, November 8, 2007
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