Posted By nullplus:
i don't yet understand how they would figure out if the user who posts an image on the internet already has a proper license or not (possible the user already bought the image on, say, istock), but on the overall this is an interesting approach. hoping for more info on how this will work, on whether istockers' work will also be tracked by this and whether we'll get a share of the collected fees.
As to deciding and controlling "who
really originally owns the image", maybe there could be a relatively painless/integrated "two step" scheme available. As the combination of:
1) An initial utility initiated/controlled by the original content creator - like Digimarc (thanks for pointing that out^) - that merges?/attaches?/writes?/records? an initial "failsafe ownership ID" (yeah, I know "failsafe" is a big word) on the image before "original public release" by that definitive original owner.
2) Plus then a more fully-featured, trusted, and secure (hopefully) scheme/application suite for marking/registering/following an image, then for distributing/tracking/informing/scolding/billing/hounding/reporting/etc. all subsequent usage and "movement" of the image - like the ImageIRC functionality. A registration which would/should be securely and forever connected to the image - by a/any/every agent/distributor/owner-permitted display entity - BEFORE the image is released to the wild for the first time. For any purpose/usage/licensing.
That sort of combination gives me as the initial creator/owner complete control over proper and definitive original identification on whatever I put out there. And, BTW, complete blame/fault if I don't bother. All of that assuming the integrated process could be proven relatively easy and mostly bulletproof - big assumptions of course.
And is an opportunity for an agent/distributor to offer/provide an important differentiation to contributors, to spread the costs and benefits of a large implementation/enforcement/et al effort across many "users", and might even help prevent the sorts of "inadvertant"...wink, wink, nod, nod...give-aways that can't help but drive all sorts of other bad things.
While informing, educating, and controlling end users and inadvertant redistributors - to some degree - at least perhaps those who try to be honest if/whenever they understand the rules.
Finally - IMO a very important consideration often not well addressed if at all in many "business processes" - implementing an overall integrated ownership identification and control process along these lines would hopefully more effectively assign the various proper and appropriate
incentives and
consequences to each stakeholder - at the best steps in the chain - all up and down the chain.
It all sounds pretty complicated, but that's what computers are for.
Lots of uncertainty too. So it's all probably still pie in the sky. Still, I'm certain if we engage all the best minds "around here" in thinking about potential what-if's, we might eventually figure it out. For the future. Which brings up the obvious question: "What about all the billions of images, et al already out there?".
Great question. I wish I knew.
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