The Inquisitr » ustream.tv

Justin.tv proves to win live video wars, break the law

Paul Montgomery — Sat, 25 Jul 2009 13:20:21 +0000

YouTube got to the top of the online video clip industry by systematically flaunting copyright laws until it could get big enough to be bought by Google and let their lawyers handle it. It seems that in the fight between Justin.tv and Ustream.tv for the live video market, one side has taken the high road and the other is going to win.

Quite apart from an allegations of Justin.tv enabling child pornography, which the Inquisitr is also investigating, Justin.tv is the hub of a network of Web sites which provide global sports fans with links to live video streams of sporting events, openly flaunting international broadcast laws.

Atdhe.net and Channelsurfing.net are just two of a number of sites which maintain databases of sporting events and link to them as they are shown each day. These sites embed video feeds from Justin.tv which are blatantly stolen re-broadcasts from ESPN, Fox Sports, NFL Network and the free-to-air networks, and a list of international events like soccer from a variety of networks, plus Australian rules football and rugby league on Australia’s Channels Seven, Nine and Ten and a host of European feeds.

While some of the feeds are hosted on private sites, by far the most popular conduit for these feeds is Justin.tv, which even puts its watermark over the offending streams. Ustream, which in comparison has taken the responsible route of partnering with CBS and other content partners and squashing anyone who tried to use its site for infringing rebroadcasts, is being thrashed on traffic numbers in comparison, according to any metrics firm you’d care to ask.

Can Justin.tv hide behind the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA), which at least nominally protects them from legal action, long enough to get bought YouTube-style by someone who can defend them from the inevitably massive law suits they are risking? Allowing these feeds to stay up for so long that a subculture of sites has now spread up around them is pushing the intention of the statutes way too far for comfort.

Justin.tv streams child porn: industry crackdown coming?

Duncan Riley — Sun, 19 Jul 2009 17:00:11 +0000

The mainstream live video streaming industry has always struggled with content control. Unlike pre-recorded content which can often be filtered at the point it is uploaded, or close there to it, live content can only be moderated if a complaint is received and the person in the stream is caught in the act.

We’ve learned from a reader that Justin.tv this week streamed child pornography featuring 13 year old girls. We are in receipt of pictures and a comment stream that back that observation up to a point, however I would note for the record that none of the pictures we receive show nudity…as the act of receiving and viewing the said images would be illegal in Australia, even when sent for journalistic purposes. We would note that our tipper was appalled by what he stumbled upon on Justin.tv as well and has made no effort a far as we are aware to capture the parts of the video that would constitute child pornography.

According to out tipper, at around 10pm July 14 a number of 13 year old girls streaming live on Justin.tv were being asked to take their clothes off or were hit on by around 800 viewers. Here’s one of the initial screen shot:

After some time the girls started to flirt more with the people in the chat room, and that’s when the nudity started. According to our tippers, the 13 year old girls flashed their breasts. These images do not show them doing that, but do show one girl stripping, and another posing in a suggestive fashion.

I’ve not asked Justin.tv for comment because I know this isn’t a problem restricted to them alone, and to their credit (and what I would note would have been the standard response) they suspended the account some time after the child pornography went to air based on an internal complaint system (they nearly all exclusively work this way.)

Some providers are more prone to this sort of content than others though. Stickam has long been know for its scantily clad young girls as this screen shot taken early Sunday US time shows:

Sites that attract a younger demographic tend to have the issue more: Live Universe has it, but you rarely if even see this sort of content on Ustream.tv. The problem then is knowing the age of those on screen: the porn industry has a record keeping requirement for age verification, something seemingly not required by streaming video sites.

What is clear though is that the live video streaming industry faces far greater risks from carrying child porn than it does in its constant fights against pirated content. Laws may offer some protection for these companies today, but laws can always be changed, and hosting naked 13 year old girls isn’t a good look for any company. A crackdown seems likely and it’s just a matter of when it will happen.

First Look: Ustream.tv Application for iPhone

Duncan Riley — Tue, 20 Jan 2009 03:49:23 +0000

Ustream.tv has launched their first iPhone application right in time for the Obama Inauguration.

The Ustream iPhone Viewing Application is WiFi only at this stage, allegedly “to ensure the highest quality broadcast,” and gives full access to Ustream.tv shows.

The application is available now from the iTunes store here.

First impressions: it works well. Streaming shows were easy to connect to, and the quality was no different to watching most YouTube videos on an iPhone. Content is categorized by recommended, popular and archival material, and users can search for specific shows.

Ustream.tv promises that the viewer experience is complimented by the ability to chat live, however I found with most streams that this isn’t offered, the difference between one with it and with out isn’t clear.

The lack of 3G support is a little strange, and limits the application, but it’s a reasonable first effort, and the price tag is a winner: completely free.

You can catch the Inauguration live on Ustream.tv Tuesday.

Was that a concert I heard in your living-room last night?

Steven Hodson — Wed, 03 Dec 2008 04:55:46 +0000

Tonight I was invited by nicefishfilms (thanks Michael) to join him; and about 180+ people, in the living-room of Peter Himmelman for a great jam session. Peter, along with some other really good musicians, held a concert in his home via UStream.tv. For those of you who don’t know Peter he is a very talented musician/songwriter; and from what I was told is related through marriage to Bob Dylan.

The interesting thing about the whole experience for me was Peter’s obvious willingness to use whatever media is available to get his music out to the people. While the jam session was happening in the video portion of the UStream.tv there was also a really good conversation happening in the chat area. Rather than treat it as just something that was part of the package of the video Peter actually took the time to see what was being talked about. As well you could phone-in to Peter’s living-room with questions for him and the others there with him.

What I think is important here is that even though there wasn’t thousands of people logging in to see the show Peter was still giving it his all. It felt to me like he didn’t care how many people were out there. It was more like he was having a great time with his friends there in his living-room and we were lucky enough to be included.

Would this be the type of thing other singers or bands could do and get new fans? I don’t know but I know that Peter got a new fan tonight. Would this help other singers or bands be able to sell more music or tickets to concerts? I don’t know for sure but I know I’ll probably be picking up some of Peter’s music soon.

What I do know is that I had a great time watching and I won’t soon forget the name Peter Himmelman or his music. I liked being included in what was obviously some friends having a great time playing music together and I know I’ll be back anytime there is another show. So ya … maybe this type of thing can work for other singers or bands. At the very least you’ll have some great concerts in your living-room each night.

This is the kind of thing that I think that a lot more musicians should really consider doing. Now maybe they do and this cranky old fart is just catching up once again but if not then it’s time to grab those cameras and getting setup on UStream.tv; or something similar. Chalk it up as another way to reach out to us your fans.

Another Great Use for the Internet: Streaming Christmas Lights

Duncan Riley — Wed, 03 Dec 2008 04:03:46 +0000

With Puppy Cam being such a huge hit in mid November, it was only time until someone tried to knock the puppies off their proverbial perch, and have we got the stream for you.

Introducing Christmas Lights Cam!

This cam from somewhere in middle America shows synchronized Christmas lights to music, so not only can you watch the lights, you can rock with them as well

Not many details on where the cam comes from, but Mashable has a little bit more here.

Puppy Cam takes the world by storm

Duncan Riley — Sun, 16 Nov 2008 05:21:06 +0000

Puppy Cam, the camera pointed at six Shiba Inu puppies (Autumn, Ayumi, Amaya, Aki, Akoni and Ando) first made headlines earlier this week, and the story has continued to build since then, making headlines in the mainstream media and through out the blogosphere.

As I’m typing this post, there’s a staggering 23,000 people watching Puppy Cam, that’s more people than watch the Fox Business Channel each week…and why wouldn’t they. Puppies…very, very cute puppies, and I’ve been one of the regular watchers. Who can resist

If you haven’t had your dose of cute Shiba Inu puppies yet, here’s the stream:

Stickam enters mobile streaming space, iPhone client coming

Duncan Riley — Tue, 14 Oct 2008 03:11:06 +0000

Live video streaming service Stickam has entered the mobile phone streaming spacing, launching a dedicated mobile client.

The initial release sees support only for the Nokia N95 and N96, but the company is working on an iPhone client for future release.

The move takes Stickam into new territory in a competitive space. On the live streaming side, Stickam competes with Justin.tv, Ustream.tv, Mogolus, Yahoo Live and others, in mobile streaming the market so far have been divided between Flixwagon and Qik. The move offers growth opportunities for Stickam by entering a space not yet targeted by its main competitors, although given the mobile streaming market is still limited by technology and regular use, the move may see an increase in content created by existing members than attract new ones.

Streams featured on Stickam’s home page generate more than 40,000 live views each hour of broadcast. Stickam.com has more than 2 million registered users, and receives more than 2.5 million unique monthly visitors and 4.8 million daily page views.

Stickam

This is the end, my friend [Privacy and Social Media]

Duncan Riley — Wed, 03 Sep 2008 03:03:17 +0000

A new first for Ustream.tv and possibly the net, a birth was streamed live to the world today from West Pennsylvania. At the time of writing I can’t find a recording of the birth, with only a video of the child post delivery available, but from all accounts the whole thing was shown.

This is the end. To quote Jim Morrison:

This is the end
Beautiful friend
This is the end
My only friend, the end

Of our elaborate plans, the end
Of everything that stands, the end
No safety or surprise, the end
Ill never look into your eyes…again

We have reached the point where nothing left is sacred, where our most intimate moments are now fair game for the world at large. It is the beginning of an age so well described in Ben Elton’s challenging novel Blind Faith (a recommended read for anyone interested in this area):

Imagine a world where everyone knows everything about everybody. Where what a person “feels” and “truly believes” is protected under the law, while what is rational, even provable is condemned as heresy. A world where to question ignorance and intolerance is to commit a Crime against Faith.

Imagine it. Or just wait until After The Flood.

On a hot Sagittarian morning in the year 56 ATF, Trafford Sewell struggles to work through the usual crowds of near-naked commuters. He is confronted by the intimidating figure of his Parish Confessor. Why has Trafford not been streaming his every moment of sexual intimacy onto the community website like everybody else? Does he think he’s different or special in some way? Better than his fellow man and woman? Does he have something to hide?

Ben Elton imagines a post-apocalyptic society where religious intolerance combines with a confessional sex-obsessed, self-centric culture to create a world where nakedness is modesty, ignorance is wisdom and privacy is a dangerous perversion. A chilling vision of what’s to come? Or something rather closer to what we call reality?

We have reached the point of no return. From Twittering a birth to streaming it live, the floodgates are open. Where there is a willing audience, there will be those willing to expose themselves to the world at large, and as our lust for knowing and seeing all continues, so to will the frequency of everything exposed online.

The remaining question for those in social media is whether we embrace the change and ride the wave, or we rally against it. Where today is the line between privacy and sharing? Does sharing some things open the door to sharing all, or is there still a place for what perhaps can be described as antique ideas of private moments.

What ever the answers, remember September 2, 2008 as the day that the last remaining barrier came down between personal and public. The tipping point where a sea of copycats and unrestricted life streaming that will now surely follow.

Ustream.tv