Sony's Grouper Picks On Searchles TV 37
pradeepe writes "Sony's Grouper, a video sharing site, has sent Searchles, a social search engine, a cease and desist letter over Grouper videos being streamed through Searchles TV, "the Internet's first video player that empowers users to mashup videos back-to-back with one player using multiple sources like MySpace, YouTube, Google Video, Blip.tv or Grouper." Grouper claims that Searchles has "effectively stripped away Grouper's extensive copyright protection system, including the 'Flag as Inappropriate' button and the link that appears on every single page of the Grouper website to allow copyright owners to report allegedly infringing material, in accordance with the terms of the Digital Millennium Copyright Act." It's interesting to note that Grouper itself is being sued for copyright infringement."
Just sue them (Score:3, Insightful)
If Searchles thinks they're doing an illegal thing, they should stop.
This is really a non-story.
This is not the start, just the early innings... (Score:5, Insightful)
This demonstrates that not only have things changed, but incumbent businesses have no clue how to deal with the changes. There are, of course, notable exceptions. By way of exception I might mention that though they are not perfect Google, Apple, Linux community et al, IBM, Sun, and a few others are active in the new business paradigm. By definition they seem to be leading when in fact they are simply trying to stay alive and relevant. The previous generation of entertainment and media businesses were built slowly as technology previously evolved slowly, not so much anymore.
There will be more situations like this but the only way to make sense of it is if the world, not just the US or EU, begins to listen to technology experts, consumers, and visionaries that do NOT work in Redmond.
The entertainment industry is going to have to learn to live on what they can get up front, and stop demanding they get so much up front. Google and others have already figured out how to steal their ad revenue while they were busy trying to not change with the times and technology.
This particular issue will resolve itself, and set examples. That is good for one simple reason: there currently are not enough relevant examples of how to do business. One company has a good plan, then another comes along with a mash-up thingy and now the first company has to complain because they are not getting the revenue. Its all about business, and more importantly about the inability of many businesses to think beyond where they are now; their inability to innovate and change with the times.
No, I'm not a billion dollar inventor or anything, but spotting trends doesn't require a billion dollar bank account.
LESSON: When you set up an Internet business, try to make sure that you are ready to make deals with other people so that your revenue doesn't dry up like a spit of water in the desert.
Re:a flaming wasteland (Score:5, Insightful)
Frankly, maintstream entertainment has gotten so hostile I'd rather just play a boardgame with some friends [boardgamegeek.com].
If this story were the other way around... (Score:3, Insightful)
And the summary would contain a link to Grouper, but not Searchles.
Telling.
Re:This is not the start, just the early innings.. (Score:3, Insightful)
You are on the money. I agree with all you have said, except the "stealing." Google and others with "eyes wide open" have seen the new paradigm in distribution and advertising revenue and have figure out multiple ways to capitalize on it. And yes, those that are making deals will survive in some shape or form.