In an attempt to eliminate and prevent unauthorized distribution of copyrighted video content, Google confirmed Tuesday that it will begin testing video identification software on its YouTube and Google Video sites. The software will identify copyrighted videos that have been uploaded by users without the copyright holder's permission. (Source: informationweek.com)

Google will test the video recognition technology along with partners Time Warner Inc. and The Walt Disney Co. Testing will begin next month with hopes of having the technology completely up and running by later this year. (Source: time.com)

Ricardo Reyes, a spokesman for Google noted that the web giant is "trying to see if there is a way to make video identification technology a reality...We're going to start testing that on a larger scale in July with some pretty large partners."

Reyes also makes note that the video recognition testing is in an early beta stage and that Google is remaining cautious in regards to "trying to predict when and if we're going to have success" with the initiative.

Google's video identification project comes as an attempt to protect relationships between YouTube and partners such as CBS and NBC. In March of this year, Viacom Inc. sued Google and YouTube for over $1 billion US. Viacom's federal complaint alleged that YouTube had not been taking the proper measures and investing enough resources into preventing users from posting thousands of copyrighted video clips on its site. (Source: time.com)

Although many are assuming that Google's new move is a response to the lawsuit, Reyes insists that this isn't the case. The initiative represents Google's commitment to the rights of copyright holders, which Reyes said is "something we have been committed to since before we were sued."

There are additional benefits for Google in employing this video identification technology. "If Google can successfully identify video content based on image analysis, its video search capabilities may improve and it may be able to eliminate duplicate videos across its Web sites, thereby saving storage space" (Source: informationweek.com)

The company said that if the new technology works successfully, it would also allow content owners, such as movie studios, to automatically delete copyright-protected videos from the YouTube site. (Source: news.techwack.com)