[IP] Verizon to Police Web Customers To Protect Disney From Piracy
Begin forwarded message:
From: Dewayne Hendricks <dewayne@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Date: September 22, 2005 9:17:07 PM EDT
To: Dewayne-Net Technology List <dewayne-net@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Subject: [Dewayne-Net] Verizon to Police Web Customers To Protect
Disney From Piracy
Reply-To: dewayne@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
[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@xxxxxxx and Merissa Marr at
merissa.marr@xxxxxxx
URL for this article:
<http://online.wsj.com/article/0,,SB112731531212247388,00.html>
Weblog at: <http://weblog.warpspeed.com>
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