re: "Multimillion Dollar Shakedown"

I recently read this pretty scathing article about how Google (and other companies) hide behind the Safe Harbor Provision of the DMCA and the resulting effects on artists (here).

There are more than 60 trillion addresses on the web. Google is a huge company and it is likely very difficult to monitor every single advertising account that it has. In addition, Google recently released a document stating how it plans to fight against piracy.



 

In fact, I've already noticed that many searches to pirate sites have been taken down in compliance with the DMCA.

While the author of the Multimillion Dollar Shakedown points out that Google profits from the piracy sites even when the site is removed, Google does not charge copyright owners for removing the infringing material, and Google has, on average, improved the removal process and typically processes the notices in less than six hours.

What we should keep in mind is that Google is mostly a directory, that points people to what they want to find and they are good at it. With more than 60 trillion websites (and counting!) it is a daunting task to enforce these copyrights.

Perhaps artists and copyright owners should consider developing software to combat these copyright pirates, rather than blaming Google for being good at what they do.

Just my opinion and some food for your thoughts.

Techie Talk Tuesdays: Google Drive

Google Drive:

Platforms: Mac, PC, Android, iOS

Price: Free(!)

Google drive is a file synchronization, storage, and sharing system. The application can be downloaded for free on your computer, tablet, and phone. Google drive is a great cloud system where you can backup your notes, photos, and music, and access them anywhere, so you don’t need to worry about your notes if your computer is lost or if it breaks.

The Drive application creates a virtual cloud-based “drive,” similar to a folder, with a storage space of 15GB that you sign-in to, using your Google login. Unlike competitors, the “drive” automatically syncs files copied into the folder through Google’s cloud storage system so that the files can be accessed through the web by any computer or mobile device. On your mobile device you can upload files from your phone’s media player and photo gallery to the cloud, access documents you uploaded via your computer, or even create new documents and spreadsheets.  You can also make the files “available offline” which can be convenient in areas without mobile data.

And that’s not all- Google Drive is also home to Google Docs, which allows creation of documents and spreadsheets with real-time editing and collaboration with other users. One caveat – while one may be tempted to substitute a need to purchase document software like Microsoft Office or Apple’s Pages, the limited formatting capabilities make it impractical for formal writing. However, Google Docs are great for group study sessions or outlining with its real time editing ability. Individuals can add and edit a file at the same time while everyone with a link to the document can see the editing. Also, if someone accidently deletes a portion of the document, the documents can easily be restored to a previous version. Once the document is completed, the document can be downloaded as a pdf or a word document to be printed.

Best of all? It’s free.