Analysis - Associated Press and the ?fair use? of news content

[HEXUS]

The news cooperative wants to clamp down on the use of its material online, but it?s not going to be easy.

Read more.

[Steve]

I think the AP and Murdoch are behaving like a bunch of clueless ******s.

Still, only me and everyone else thinks that, so they're unlikely to listen.

[Bob Crabtree]

HEXUS isn't keen on having its copy ripped off lock-stock-and-barrel and nor, really, is any news organisation.

AP, though, appears to be trying to stop this happening to its copy - and, I guess, its starting point is the extreme position it has currently taken.

Fact is, too many sites do rip off AP wholesale, giving little or no recognition of the source, so I think that - for all our sakes - AP is right to act.

My expectation (okay, my hope) is that, in the longer term, less stuff gets ripped off and far better (and more prominent) credits are given generally - to AP and all the other organisations that do generate original news, rather than sites just piggy backing on the generators.

Bob C

[Crevan]

Locking down your content on the internet and going after anyone who uses it is not the best path to take (see the music industry). AP and everyone else needs to understand that the way people access information has changed, so the means of providing it need to change as well.

The Guardian seems to be accepting this approach with their Open Platform, which allows their partners to access Guardian's data and articles and use it in various internet applications. Everyone seems to be a winner: G receives credit and is linked back, people get the information they want.

[Bob Crabtree]

Don't disagree but do believe that some steps need to be taken - it's maybe just that AP is starting off with some more traditional steps, rather than some that are more appropriate.

Bob

Locking down your content on the internet and going after anyone who uses it is not the best path to take (see the music industry). AP and everyone else needs to understand that the way people access information has changed, so the means of providing it need to change as well.

The Guardian seems to be accepting this approach with their Open Platform, which allows their partners to access Guardian's data and articles and use it in various internet applications. Everyone seems to be a winner: G receives credit and is linked back, people get the information they want.

[Crevan]

some steps need to be taken - it's maybe just that AP is starting off with some more traditional steps, rather than some that are more appropriate

My point exactly. But my feeling is that those traditional steps won't do AP any good.