youtube, free speach and the tyrany of private public spaces, v2
"
Youtube. This account is suspended."
This is a story we're starting to see time and time again. Youtube deleting user accounts completely without any due cause being given to the owner of the account. Traditional media companies abusing the DMCA to silence critics.
It's an issue I've
written about before.
As
covered on newteevee Pubdef.net "an online destination for video reports from St. Louis and the state of Missouri published by Anotonio D. French, a newspaper reporter who was frustrated with local news coverage" had his entire youtube account deleted on accusations that one of his videos violated Channel 5 St. Louis' copyright.
The video (embeded below) was critical of Channel 5's unsubstantiated claims that an local alderman took bribes in a realestate swindle. Was it fair use or copyright infringement? View it below and be your own judge.
Pubdef has re-hosted the video on his own site. Of course the majority of the other 200+ videos are gone. You can read his
original post over on pubdef.net.
What disturbs me most about this is it's hard to feel sorry for the guy and his readers when he apparently has gone right back to hosting his videos on youtube under the the new userneame
PubDefTV. Dude! Move to a reputeable host like blip.tv!
Labels: copyfight, copyright, copyright wars, DMCA, fair use, freedom-of-speach, NewTeeVee, st. louis, youtube, youtube sucks
youtube, free speach and the tyrany of private public spaces
Let me just start at the end,
F*ck youtube.
Ever day I become more appalled by youtube's complete disregard for it's users.
Sooner or later people are going to realize youtube is a complete tyrant that has no respect for their freedom of speach or right to fair use.
Youtube is one tyrant putting other tyrants, namely big media companies, concerns over individuals right to free speach and fair use. I don't understand how there hasn't been a mass exodus from youtube. Enough already. Vote with your feet people and leave. There are far better video hosting sites. Two of my personal favorites are blip.tv and vimeo.com. Most importantly though, host your own vlog.
I'm not calling for a boycott here. I just wonder why there hasn't been more backlash. I hear more and more cases about DMCA take down abuse on youtube every day and I wonder why people don't do the obvious thing and simply leave youtube.
Case in point, I just stumbled on a nice little post by Washington DC vlogger Kenya Allmond about the deletion of one of her videos by youtube. Apparently it was just 3 minutes of her friend singing along to a few lines of a prince song as they drove down the road. She has reposted it without sound to see if youtube delete's it again.
Yesterday I received a lovely notice from YouTube indicating that one of my videos was removed due to copyright infringement. The notice also stated that repeat incidents of copyright infringement would result in deletion of my account and all the videos uploaded to said account.
What was the video? Did I record something from TV and post it? Did I rip a DVD and post it? It was none of these. It is a video of the boyfriend lipsyncing to Prince?s ?Kiss?.
Excerpt from: Kenya Allmond: In My Own Words ? YouTube Video Removed for Copyright Infringement
Great eh? How absurd is it that a person can't even share a clip of their friend singing a song while driving down the street? Why do people still use youtube again?
This may seem trivial, but it's not. It's a basic free speach issue. Our right to be secure in our ability to communicate with and share our personal moments with whomever we choose. Video is the new frontier of free speach. Just as you can quotes from a book we need mechanisms and established methods for quoting or referencing in video.
Let's go over some key points:
- youtube doesn't even bother to review DMCA take down merits
- youtube often simply deletes videos and even whole accounts without pre-warning
- youtube not only deletes the video but all the comments, discussion and related material that go with it... effectively "disappearing" it (sort of like a corrupt regime might "disappear" political dissidents) so no record exists of potential wrong doing, not even how many videos youtube has "disappeared".
- once deleted accounts and videos often can't be resserected even though clearly the reason for doing so is often flimsy and unstated
- youtube automates the process for big companies to take down literally anything they feel like regardless of merit
- youtube doesn't even bother to tell you who requested a take down, why, nor offer you any due process
- often videos are deleted without review simply because the title mentions an artist, show or movie
- often videos are taken down because someone sings, quotes lyrics from, or even plays a song
- youtube is extremely quick to respond to take downs without review but very slow to respond to DMCA counter notices
All this adds up to one thing. Youtube really doesn't respect its users. They've put big media's interests far above citizens rights to free speach and fair use. I encourage people to go find someone who does respect their rights. Like Kenya use a better video host like blip.tv or vimeo.com, and host your blog on
blogger.com or
wordrpress.net or even your own domain.
Meanwhile on a respectable video host
vimeo.com, a site that respects it's users freedom of speach and fair use the hot meme for over a year has been "
lip dubbing" with 1114 vidoes as of this writing. Put a song on the ipod and lip sync the lyrics into the camera as you listen along. Clearly on youtube the majority of these lip dubbing videos if not all would be removed.
This is Nagi. from
Knock Knock and
Vimeo.
Labels: copyleft, copyright, copyright wars, DMCA, freedom-of-speach, lip dubbing, private public spaces, videoblog, vlog, youtube, youtube sucks
'I Like Turtles', a viral video post mortem
The only thing better than a random seventeen second news clip "going viral" on the internets and being seen by at least three quarter million people is a three thousand word post mortem on the spectacle from the Washington Post.
Re:
For the 'I Like Turtles' Boy, 17 Seconds Of Fame - washingtonpost.comThere was a time, not long ago, when a 10-year-old boy could head to a neighborhood fair, get his face painted like a Halloween zombie and blurt out something utterly inane to a local TV news correspondent and nobody would ever think about it again. Oh, there'd be an audience that night, much of which would chuckle and think "Whaaaaa?" But that would be the end of it.
The moment would not endure as a video snippet, posted on Web sites and viewed more than 500,000 times, nor would it inspire T-shirts, or parodies or remixes or mash-ups. It would not lead a company in, say, England to track down the lad and offer him -- or rather, his parents -- cash to turn his baffling three-word apercu into a cellphone ring tone. He would not hear from the Jimmy Kimmel show. A handful of strangers would not call hoping to send him pets.
Labels: i like turtles, jimmy kimmel, Jonathon Ware, post mortem, viral video, washington post, youtube
Ramblings on Viddler's time based commenting and tagging and on what makes Mozilla kick so much a**.Originally posted as a comment to
FactoryJoe, Thoughts on Mozilla. I more or less posted here for archival reasons, but if you find it interesting feel free to comment. Disclaimer, this is a comment, I did not proof read it or even spell check it. You've been forwarned. :)
Re:
FactoryJoe, Thoughts on MozillaJust checking out the viddler interface.
Viddler?s time based tagging and commenting is interesting but let me know when they get the comments out of flash and use the blog API (blogger.com, moveabletype, wordpress) to post them as "real comments" to your blog post where they belong? where they can be read with the rest of the comments, where they can be tracked with co.mments.com and other trackers, where they can be syndicated with RSS? where I can actually READ them instead of them being in a tiny little 320×240 little window.
The bottom line is there?s two different conversations here. There?s the one in viddler, which is? whatever? can?t follow it. And then there?s the one in the page? which is awesome and useful?. and I can actually read? and which I will actually get responses on because I?m tracking it with co.comments.com.
Now? as to comment on what I read and hear here [on the original blog post].
Mozilla is a PLATFORM? this is why it rocks and [Microsoft] IE SUCKS. Because mozilla is open source, it can be extended? innovation can happen? Greasemonkey, plugins? exetentions? to a lesser extent themes. You?re right, most people DON?T care what browser they use, but if that was the ONLY case then Mozilla would be DEAD and has no future. Mozilla?s job is to MAKE people care! There?s NO way around that. In order for mozilla to succeed people MUST care. Mozilla?s success right now is because they ARE making people care. My DAD uses mozilla. My dad would never go back to IE. Why? Because of security and popups for one. And btw, he see?s that as the same issue. Because in many ways it is. IE craps all over him.
Extentions he?s installed = 0. Theme?s he?s changed to or installed = 0.
Why do I say this. Because just like Apple who buys or simply outright steals the best 3rd party OS innovations and hacks like quicksilver, and the current application switcher and tons of other innovations. Mozilla needs to roll the BEST of these innovations, the most popular, the most sought after into the DEFAULT mozilla. Because Mozilla CAN and IS winning at making a large part of the population CARE about their browser. Security, pop up ad blocking? maybe a few other key components? but people WILL NOT configure mozilla? they will not sift through it?s endless preference panes no matter how well designed and simple they are? **intelligent defaults are extremely important** and even more important still they will NOT go through and install plugins. The best of breed plugins need to be integrated into the core mozilla. It?s good for the developers of those plugins to aknowlege their hard work and integrate it into the core? and it?s GREAT for the customers. That cycle of encouraging innovation through creating an OPEN PLATFORM? I?m thinking grease monkey too? by courting the developers? by making great API?s? by using copy left open source licensing to encourage branching. That and lots of consultants and strategists and developers donating their time and energy is the key to mozilla creating a product that?s so much better than Microsoft IE that people CARE to install it.
[read: If it's not good enough to be included and configured properly in the default install for Joe User, then it isn't worth installing.]
Personally, I have infinite thanks for Mozilla. If you set a side the fact that I use firefox and love it? take that completely out of the equation all together? mozilla has still been a RESOUNDing success. Even if it only had 15% of the market share? and not the 20 or 25% it has? even if it never progresses beyond 20% it?s still a success because it has brought innovation and openess back to the web space. Of course? to most people commenting here they?re like ?no sh*t, you don?t say?.. but I had to say it. Even though I would hope Mozilla would take 50% market share or more and make I.E. the #2 browser it really doesn?t matter in the scope of things. All that matters to me now is that the mozilla foundation turns a 10% or 20% PROFIT while staying true to it?s manifest (being open and not evil) and keep innovating so that it can sustain itself as a very equitable business and keep innovation alive in the space for another 5, 10, 20 years.
Anyway? just thought I really just wanted to comment on viddler, because I was checking it out, but I thought since I wrote so much on viddler interface I should also respond to the actual post.
One last thought on viddler. While the interface is interesting there?s a lot more to a company than a cool flash interface? look at blip.tv. My fav video blog host. The key to blip?s success thus far is serving the core videoblogging community? which unlike youtube.. wants to have their own domain? their own blog, the ability to monetize? to OWN their own content and have control over it? to not have it deleted or removed because of some arbitrary DMCA notice. Anyway? none of that has to do with a slick interface. It has to do with strategy and architecutre and business direction. Then again.. blip could REALLY stand to have a slick viddler flash interface? maybe the two should partner? of course maybe viddler sees blip as competition. They shouldn?t, but maybe they do.
Labels: blip.tv, design, firefox, open source, strategy, time based commenting, viddler, video annoutation, widgets, youtube
Youtube coming soon to an iPod near you!
So, in the last couple days I've come to the realization that Google Video has started putting iPod and PSP compatible MP4 videos in their RSS feeds. Google has always had downloadable MP4 videos for free content though they haven't always put them in their feeds.
This is no minor thing. In fact it's pretty amazing what you can aggregate directly to your iTunes, iPod, PSP or media center.
For example, you can get compatible RSS feed of the highest rated documentaries (
RSS feed /
google page) or the latest Machinima videos (
RSS feed /
google page).
In fact why don't you try and pop the below RSS feed into iTunes now.
http://video.google.com/videofeed?type=search&q=duration%3Along+is%3Afree+genre%3ADOCUMENTARY&so=3&num=100&output=rss*Please make sure to turn off "auto downloading" in your iTunes podcasting preferences so you don't swamp google or your computer with multiple downloads.
If this is still not *
digg worthy* enough for you, don't worry there's more.
You can also access MP4 feeds on pretty much all youtube users.That's right, let me say it again... you can get iTunes/ iPod / PSP compatible RSS video feeds for pretty much ALL youtube users.
So for example here's the latest youtube videos from spectacular comedian Mark Day.
http://www.youtube.com/profile_videos?user=MarkDayComedyAnd here's the corresponding ipod/PSP compatible RSS feed from google video.
http://video.google.com/videofeed?type=search&q=MarkDayComedy&so=1&num=20&output=rssNote the syntax. All I did was pop Mark's username from youtube, "
MarkDayComedy", into the google query url.
You may notice there are a few other youtube users videos in the query. These videos are responses from other users to Mark Day's videos. Many might consider this pretty cool. All the same I tried to find a way to filter them out but I cannot find a way to limit the query to a single youtube user. So... to bad I guess. Deal with it. ;)
This does bring to mind, the next big question.
Does this mean we'll see video podcast feeds on Youtube soon?I certainly can't tell you that, but now that the question has been posed, maybe if enough people *
digg it* or blog about it youtube will listen. :)
I can say this. There are really no legal implications, but there are some important business considerations for Youtube regarding video podcasting. Youtube's business model is predicated on adding value through distribution with it's very nice, but arguably very controlling, Flash based player. This added value includes such things as links back to youtube, links to related videos others have found interesting, and above all such "social networking" features as the ability to comment, blog about and email the video.
That said it would certainly appear all the content is already available through google video so does it really matter when youtube gets around to promoting their video podcasting feeds in the youtube interface? If you're reading this then you have everything you need to start using youtube with your favorite video aggregator, handheld video player, media center, set top box, or even cell phone today.
While I'd love to see youtube take some development initiative and take that final step for the sake of all youtube users... I'm not going to sit around and wait for it. I'm already plugging my favorite youtubers videos feeds into my favorite aggregators like iTunes,
mefeedia.com,
Fireant and
Democracy Player.
While some aggregators and players do support youtube's Flash based video feeds there are certain obvious things you can't really do with flash videos.... like store them on your hard drive... play them back in preferred video players... or media players... and many more obvious things... like playing them on your iPod. While MP4 is a proprietary video format and is not freely licensed it is quickly evolving as the MP3 of the video world. Most new handheld video players, set top boxes, and many new cell phones (such as the Nokia N95) support MP4.
With the recent announcement by EMI and Apple to sell non-DRM mp3's the big question is will video based distribution evolve in a parallel open fashion as music with mp3's or does the overhead of video based distribution and production require such digital crutches and controls as Flash based players, or even DRM?
What I very much believe is that youtube doesn't need to use Flash like DRM to create an artificial "speed bump" around youtube to force youtube users to keep coming back. Quite the contrary, the use of only Flash is discouraging use of youtube and encouraging the creation of a cottage industry of tools for cracking youtube and alternative "open" solutions.
I think there's enough love of youtube that if they did open up and allow MP4 downloads and video podcasting... along with some improvements to their EULA... that the good graces will cement them in a favorable light with many of their users.
There is also TREMENDOUS opportunity around these features for users to start offering proverbial "pro level" services, and advanced demographics and statistical information, the removal of caps on video length and resolution (HD VIDEO!) and even offerings for video based advertising, and optional paid subscription offerings on video feeds.
This is to say nothing of the opportunity for youtube to create standards and promote partnerships with set top box manufacturers, cell phone, and other hardware makers to bring the entire videoblogging space beyond the desktop computer and out into the world. It's also important to note that these aims would correspond directly if not be complimentary to the aims of google video whom is already offering paid downloads, and the web based distribution of high quality and feature length content.
It's time for youtube to set the video free.
Some tips for the uber users.
As far as googles video podcast feeds you might also note the variable "num=20" this is the number of items in the feed. If you like you can easily increase that number to 50 or even 100 items. Just us this power sparingly or your hard drive and iPod will be full of videos, google will disable this feature and I'll have to come and personally kick your ass. ;)
So for example if you wanted to download ALL youtube user Mark Day's videos to your iPod you might change the variable "num=20" to "num=100".
http://video.google.com/videofeed?type=search&q=MarkDayComedy&so=1&num=100&output=rssAgain... try turning off "auto downloads" in your podcast preferences in iTunes so as not to overload google or iTunes with multiple downloads and instead browse the podcasting tab in itunes and download ONLY those posts which you want on your iPod.
So what else can you do with this knowledge.
Well, to start with you can go look up your favorite youtube personality, and try putting their USERNAME into the following query. Disclaimer: results vary depending on the uniqueness of the username.
http://video.google.com/videofeed?type=search&q=YOUTUBE_USERNAME&so=1&num=100&output=rss
Or... you could create any sort of complex query you like. For example... How about the last 50 machinima videos?
http://video.google.com/videofeed?type=search&q=MACHINIMA&so=1&num=100&output=rss
Or... how about using
google's advanced video search to find THE
highest rated documentaries (
RSS feed). I highly recommend "
Revolution OS" about the advent of GNU, open source and linux, it's right there in the top 10 highest rated documentaries on google video, and it's available in it's entirety at 1 hours 25 minutes, for FREE. I already own the DVD, but I appreciate it all the same. :)
Obviously not everything on google video is available as a freely downloadable mp4. In order make sure you only get freely downloadable MP4's a highly recommend selecting "is free" in the "price section" when using
Googles's Advanced Video search settings or adding "+is%3Afree" to your query string.
http://video.google.com/videofeed?type=search&q=duration%3Along+is%3Afree+genre%3ADOCUMENTARY&so=3&num=100&output=rssLabels: defective by design, drm, emi, google, ipod, itunes, Mark Day, N95, Nokia, psp, social media, social networking, videoblogging, youtube
Jet Blue - videoblogging for apologists
My good friend Jan over at
FauxPress blogged the following about the Jet Blue's CEO posting a public apology on Youtube regarding their holding passengers hostage on a plane for some nine hours.
Thanks to Steve Bryant at NewTeeVee for pointing out another interesting executive video.
To Steve I say that Jet Blue's David Neeleman gets lots and lots of points for not reading from a script. So many folks these days are reading from scripts whose performances have left me cold. Hillary Clinton and Mr. Marriott come to mind. Not to worry, there's a learning curve to mastering authenticity, but you need a dedicated director on board to help you find and learn it.
[Note: Senator Clinton's YouTube announcement video linked from VoteHillary.org has been taken down for TOS violation. Oops.]
Furthermore, I don't need to hear, "I'm sorry." No-sir-ee. The only really meaningful response to a big-time screwup is action. Free flights, hotels, lots of free stuff for that kinda snafu. Let's see if Neeleman's words translate into motion, then re-evaluate.
Checking the JetBlue website, I found this text apology. Also found their new Bill of Rights, though the amounts of compensation do not seem high enough.
I just wanted to add two things.
- Welcome to the new face of the corporate to customer relations.
Video blogging has natural advantages over regular blogging and PR channels like the press releases or VNRs (video news releases).
It's particularly enticing as a tool for corporate apologists because it's much more direct then a VNR and much more personable (therefore more empathetic) then a written apology. I personally believe this may be the start of a change in the way companies interact with their customers.
- Welcome to the digital dark ages.
Consider this emphasis. As Jan points out Senator Hillary Clinton's youtube announcement video for votehillary.org has been taken down for violating Youtube's terms of service.
Normally this means a violation of copyright (the video came from CNN News), but regardless of why youtube removed it I just have one thing to say....
It doesn't matter wether it was deliberate or accidental youtube's removal of such a video is censorship plain and simple.
I would even argue that its being arbitrary or accidental is even worse then it's being a deliberate act. At least if it was deliberate it would inform us of youtube's policy on censorship thereby informing our choice as to whether youtube is an appropriate choice for us as individuals.
On the other hand if youtube is going to randomly and arbitrarily remove videos then it ceases to have any value as a platform for free speech at all and should be considered merely a platform for trash we don't care about.... which... is generally how I currently regard it.
Please, if you're going to post stuff to youtube post a public backup somewhere.
This is what we all deserve for depending on a third party. Expect to see a lot more important reference material disappear from youtube in the future. The future of youtube is the proverbial 404. If you you really want something to stick around (if it's important to you at all) I suggest using a tool like vixy.net to grab it off youtube and save a copy on your own server.
For example, here's the Jet Blue video in MP4: JetBlue-our-promise-to-you.mp4
I've included it for the sake of archiving it, because without it this post doesn't make much sense.
Not only is it on my server in case it disappears from youtube in six months time, but as an MP4 it's also podcast compatible and download able.
Labels: apologists, censorship, CNN, copyrights, customer-relations, empathy, FauxPress, freedom-of-speach, HillaryClinton, JetBlue, NewTeeVee, politics, PR, SteveBryant, TOS, VNRs, youtube
Youtube'r LisaNova goes to Mad TV
This just crossed the wires via the Yahoo videoblogging group. The Youtuber known as LisaNova has signed with MadTV. If I'm not mistaken she's the second youtuber to cross over to mainstream media. Youtube user "Brookers" was the first. She signed with Carson Daly Productions a few months back.
Watch LisaNova's announcementOriginal post on February 12, 2007 from
YouTube :: Videos by LisaNova: (
RSS feed)
Just wanted to make a quick video saying thanks to Youtube and everyone who watched my videos. My first episode airs on FOX on Saturday Feb. 17th @ 11PM Author: LisaNova Keywords: LisaNova MadTV YouTube Thanks Added: February 12, 2007
I've started a guide on mefeedia for podcasters and videobloggers and youtubers who have crossed over to broadcast / mainstream media.
Cross-over - a guide to videobloggers, youtubers and podcasters who've crossed over to mainstream media.I know there are quite a few podcasters and a few other videobloggers who've made the leap and would appreciate any reminders if you know someone I've missed.
(Via
Mefeedia)
Labels: brookers, carson daly productions, cross-over, fox, lisanova, madtv, mainstream-media, mefeedia, oldstream, oldstream-media, videoblogging, vlogging, youtube
