Verizon to Police Web Customers To Protect Disney From Piracy

[David Farber <dave () farber net>]

Begin forwarded message:

From: Dewayne Hendricks <dewayne () warpspeed com>
Date: September 22, 2005 9:17:07 PM EDT
To: Dewayne-Net Technology List <dewayne-net () warpspeed com>
Subject: [Dewayne-Net] Verizon to Police Web Customers To Protect  
Disney From Piracy
Reply-To: dewayne () warpspeed com


[Note:  Hummh..., this deal brings new meaning to the term 'open  
access'!  DLH]

Verizon to Police Web Customers To Protect Disney From Piracy
By DIONNE SEARCEY and MERISSA MARR
Staff Reporters of THE WALL STREET JOURNAL
September 22, 2005; Page D4

Stepping up the battle against entertainment piracy, Verizon  
Communications Inc. and Walt Disney Co. have entered a long-term  
programming deal that calls for the phone company to send a warning  
to Internet users suspected of pirating Disney's content on its  
broadband services.

Under the deal, one of the first of its kind in the television  
industry, Disney will contact Verizon when the company suspects a  
Verizon customer of illegally downloading content. Without divulging  
names or addresses to Disney, Verizon will then alert the customer  
that he or she might be violating the law. Disney will be able to  
identify suspicious customers through an Internet coding system.

The provision was announced as part of a content deal that will  
provide Verizon with Disney and ESPN programming and broadband  
services. New York-based Verizon, one of several telephone carriers  
launching video services to compete against cable companies, also  
secured 12 Disney channels, including ESPN, ABC News Now and the  
Disney Channel for its new television service, Fios TV, which will  
start rolling out today in Texas.

In a related development, News Corp. Chief Executive Rupert Murdoch  
told a Goldman Sachs investment conference yesterday that News Corp.  
is "99% there" in completing a content deal with Verizon. He didn't  
elaborate, but that deal would likely include such networks as FX and  
Fox News.

Verizon's deal with Disney comes as content providers are looking at  
more ways to deliver movies and music over the Internet while  
protecting copyrighted material. Verizon in the past has successfully  
battled the music industry in court over the issue, refusing to turn  
over the names and addresses of customers. The Digital Millennium  
Copyright Act compels Internet providers to divulge customer  
information regarding pirating upon subpoena.

Verizon insists its deal with Disney doesn't compromise any of its  
past court efforts. Company officials say they want to comply with  
the law but also must protect subscribers' privacy.

"We understand that Disney has issues of copyright but for Verizon  
the critical issue is privacy for our customers. We're as committed  
to that as we ever were," said Verizon spokesman Eric Rabe.

Mr. Rabe said the company could shut off service to customers who  
have been repeatedly warned that they are infringing on Disney  
copyrights.

In a presentation to the Goldman Sachs conference yesterday, Disney's  
CEO-elect Robert Iger described the antipiracy provisions of the deal  
as "breakthrough" and said "the rest of the industry should pay heed  
and hopefully follow."

Write to Dionne Searcey at dionne.searcey () wsj com and Merissa Marr at  
merissa.marr () wsj com


URL for this article:
<http://online.wsj.com/article/0,,SB112731531212247388,00.html>

Weblog at: <http://weblog.warpspeed.com>



-------------------------------------
You are subscribed as lists-ip () insecure org
To manage your subscription, go to
 http://v2.listbox.com/member/?listname=ip

Archives at: http://www.interesting-people.org/archives/interesting-people/