Google and Microsoft agree to US guidelines for fighting ads on pirate sites
The White House isn't happy that many counterfeiters and pirates lean on internet advertising to support their sketchy ways. Accordingly, it just teamed up with Google, Microsoft and other ad providers to create a voluntary set of best practices for cutting off funding to digital bootleggers. An ad network operator following these guidelines agrees to either warn customers or kick them out of ad programs if they're found to be dealing primarily in ill-gotten goods. Thankfully, the accused also have a say: they can issue counter-notices and otherwise make a case for their innocence. It's doubtful that the US guidelines will stop copyright violation overnight, but they should streamline an ad removal process that hasn't been consistent.
[Image credit: Christopher Clay, Flickr]
