Microsoft working with publishers to protect copyrighted material online

Posted by Lauren Drablier on November 20, 2008 at 9:50 AM

According to the International Herald Tribune, Microsoft plans to help "European media owners protect and profit from copyrighted material online."

Thomas Rubin, Microsoft's intellectual property lawyer, said that they were going to work with publisher to develop a technology that will allow them to have more control over their material after it has been referenced by search engines.

It is called Automated Content Access Protocol and according to Rubin it "has the potential to be an important element of more vibrant business models for publishers in the future."

However, critics say that such restrictions will "inhibit the development of Internet business models." Rubin responded by claiming that unrestricted free access to sights such as newspapers, has not allowed them to make up for lost revenue through online advertising.

Google is not very enthusiastic about the new protocol because they claim it will only benefit a small minority of publishers.

Source: European Journalism Centre, International Herald Tribune