We have long suggested that online video copyright issues are merely a business problem (however nettlesome) that can be eventually solved, but content policy issues will be complex quagmire for many years to come.
While most online video content regulation issues to date have focused on Thailand, Turkey, India, Europe and Australia, we have heard enough chatter among important folks in DC to suggest that these debates won't be ignored inside the Beltway.
Indeed, this short back and forth below between Congressman Bart Stupak (D-Mich) and Chad Hurley provides a taste of more to come in Washington on these issues. Here, after broaching the third-rail issue of child porn, Stupak clearly indicates that he doesn't think YouTube's "community guidelines" have enough enforcement teeth, while Hurley retorts that users actually do a very good job of policing the site and offensive content is rarely a problem for the site that gets hundreds of thousands of uploads a day. (Note: MySpace says they have a technological tool to filter for porn).
While it can be endlessly debated what the FCC's authority over online video is, should be or could be, at the very least, this video suggests that industry could soon be pushed to strengthen and formalize its self-regulatory regime (much like the MPAA did decades ago). (Footage provided by C-SPAN).
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