CANOGA PARK, Calif.—The Free Speech Coalition (FSC) today announced that several tube sites have agreed to implement the FSC’s Anti-Piracy Action Program (APAP) and use the program’s software technology to flag infringing content and prevent users from posting material that is not legal for them to post.
The tube sites that have agreed to participate include PornHub, Tube8, SpankWire, KeezMovies and ExtremeTube; all part of the Manwin Group of companies.
“We believe this is a very important step for our industry,” says Fabian Thylmann, managing partner at Manwin. “We’re grateful to the FSC for spearheading this campaign, and are eager to take part in the program.”
Two more tube sites, XVideo and XXNX.com, also have signed on to FSC-APAP after agreeing to join with a group of studios including Titan Media, Adam & Eve, Evil Angel, Digital Playground, Hustler Video, Raging Stallion Studios, Wicked Pictures, New Sensations and Zero Tolerance. The tube sites and studios arrived at an agreement to join together, as a group, to help prevent content infringement.
"While the industry has been talking about the problem of piracy, we and organizations like FSC and our partner studios, have been thinking about solutions,” said a spokesperson for XVideos.com.
“Adult tube sites—like non-adult counterpart YouTube—are a great way to attract traffic and provide extraordinary advertising opportunities to reach web surfers. But, as is often the case, the product evolved faster than the technology necessary to protect legitimate copyright holders,” XVideos said.
“Now solutions to protect copyrighted content are at hand and it’s the job of every responsible website to take steps to make sure that copyrighted content is weeded out from the ever-growing volume legitimate user-generated content uploaded to our sites," the company said.
FSC Executive Director Diane Duke acknowledges that the tube sites have been looked at as the industry’s most egregious offenders of copyright infringement, but said that the developments mark a viable alternative for content producers and tube site operators to generate new revenue streams, as well as innovative approach for the industry to confront infringement.
“Working with content providers, FSC-APAP has provided a unique opportunity for the adult industry to come together and fight piracy in a coordinated manner,” said Duke. “What is even more exciting, we have been able to bring tube sites to the table to be part of the solution, instead of all of the problem.”
Wicked Pictures Chief Technology Officer Avi Bitton commented on the studio’s role in helping to develop integral components of APAP, and their interest in finding alternatives for the industry to deal with content infringement.
“Wicked helped bring the software technology to the table so we are fully confident in it,” he said. “Given the recent settlements we are also confident in the APAP's ability to bring about the usage of this technology. We now have a viable and important albeit partial solution to a crippling problem.”
“From the outset our goal was to convert illegal content into legitimate affiliate content—to fundamentally change the model from whack-a-mole with DMCA notices to finding a way, through technology, to work together,” Bitton explained. “Now, less than one year later, PornHub and XVideos are using APAP software technology. I'd call that an outstanding success that opens up new business opportunities.”
“We will see who follows suit,” he added. “But the message is clear that copyright holders will fight against infringements and demand UGC sites employ proactive solutions to deal with the problem.”
Digital Playground founder and FSC-APAP participant Joone also commented on the development with the tube sites, and said, "This will have a profound change on illegal use of our content on tube sites. For the first time I feel we have a very good chance to start minimizing piracy."
"The result I have [had with APAP] been very effective,” Joone added. “I highly recommend all content producers to use this system."
As news of the developments spread to several adult webmaster forums, FSC-APAP Administrator and attorney Gill Sperlein emphasized that the FSC-APAP program is accessible for all producers, regardless of the size of their operation.
“One thing I want to make clear is that is program is not just for big producers,” Sperlein said. “The program is priced so that any producer, no matter how small, can afford to join. Information on the boards about this program is about 50 percent inaccurate. I encourage anyone with questions about the program to contact me, or the FSC directly.”
For more information on FSC-APAP, visit www.FSCAPAP.com or call (818) 348-9373.
