YouTube's Content Identification Technology Delayed

YouTube promised to deliver by the end of 2006 a technology that allows content identification. "The new technology will be designed to scan a digital audio file, such as an MP3 or video, and compare the electronic fingerprints to databases of copyright material."

Financial Times speculates that the delay "could represent a serious obstacle to efforts by Google, its new owner, to forge closer relations with the media and entertainment industry". Content providers want to get a cut from the ads placed next to their videos or next to videos that use their content, so YouTube's content identification system should be up and running before it introduces video ads.

YouTube's success with CBS should make people think. "YouTube users are clearly being entertained by the CBS programming they're watching as evidenced by the sheer number of video views. Professional content seeds YouTube and allows an open dialogue between established media players and a new set of viewers," said Quincy Smith from CBS about their YouTube branded channel.