Microsoft competes with YouTube with online video service
The U.S. software company Microsoft is trying its hand at an online video service similar to YouTube. YouTube, for its part, has recently begun showing respect for copyright law.
The US software manufacturer Microsoft is trying its hand at an online video service. Within six months, the "Soapbox" site should be available as part of the MSN online service, the news agency SDA reported on Monday. Microsoft has been chasing the competition for some time now (see ).
Microsoft currently offers commercial video downloads, but would like to challenge other Internet companies such as Google, Time Warner and News Corp. They all have their own online video portals. Probably the best known, however, is YouTube. Since February 2005, users have been able to upload and watch videos on the website. According to analysts Nielsen/NetRatings, YouTube had 34 million visitors in August 2006.
Meanwhile, YouTube has decided to compromise on copyright issues, as Pressetext.ch reports. By the end of the year, the portal wants to install software that detects copyrighted content. As a result, advertising revenue will be shared with the creators of the respective content.
