MySpace employs new technology to prevent copyright violations

Courts major record labels with move toward legitimate music downloading

31 October 2006 1:32 GMT / By Amber Maitland

MySpace.com is bowing to pressure from record companies and is integrating newly-developed technology to detect and block unauthorised copyrighted music uploading on to the website.

The technology is licenced from private company Gracenote, and allows MySpace to review music uploads and compare it to Gracenote’s database of copyrighted songs. It can then block uploads of copyrighted material, and delete the profiles and accounts of users who repeatedly try to upload it.

MySpace’s policy, like that of YouTube, has been to remove copyrighted material when requested to, but the move to harness Gracenote's technology marks a more active role in preventing copyright violations. It is tied to the news that MySpace.com will soon start selling songs from unsigned bands, with an eye toward eventually marketing songs from major record companies as well.

MySpace.com is part of Rupert Murdock’s News Corp. and is reported to have more than 90 million active users.