It has been announced that Facebook (NASDAQ:$FB) has acquired content rights management startup Source3 in an attempt to help crack down on video pirates and those who share content without permission.
After the California-based company announced the deal on its website, many are now wondering: How will Source 3 help to fight off video pirates? Well, the startup builds technology to detect intellectual property that has been shared by users without permission.
Facebook is acquiring both the technology and parts of the team behind Source 3. Even though a Facebook spokesperson refused to comment, we do know that Source3 has raised $4 million in venture capital funding, according to Crunchbase.
The acquisition shouldn’t come as a total surprise because Facebook has had a lot of issues in the past with video pirates. In fact, it has been two years since the company first disclosed “Rights Manager,” which is a technology that detects and removes video clips shared by people who don’t have the rights to the video. This can be compared to Youtube’s Content ID. Additionally, in April, Facebook added yet another option for rights holders: Keep the content up, and make money off the views that these video pirates are generating for you.
However, seeing as Facebook has just acquired Source3, it’s clear that Facebook has yet to perfect its rights management technology. One of Facebook’s goals is to become the home of professionally produced videos, hence why it is paying publishers and movie studios to make videos for the network. But it’s important to keep in mind that video creators won’t want to give Facebook their videos if they continue to have problems with video pirates.
“We’re excited to work with the Source3 team and learn from the expertise they’ve built in intellectual property, trademarks and copyright,” a Facebook spokesperson said in a statement. “As always, we are focused on ensuring we serve our partners well.”
Source3 will 100% integrate into Facebook and will not act as a standalone company anymore. As of right now, the website and Twitter account have been taken down.
Featured Image: twitter
