Reuters and Politico challenge online copyright breaches with new consortium

News organisations including Reuters and Politico have teamed up with Attributor to create a new group aimed at protecting publishers' copyright online.

Members of the Fair Syndication Consortium, which also features the Magazine Publishers Association of America (MPA) and a host of bloggers on its charter, is asking for an ad-sharing arrangement between publishers and content users.

Using Attributor's tracking technology, the consortium members will monitor instances where full copies of their material have been republished online.

External sites using the content will be approached with an proposed advertising revenue deal in return for continued use. If this is rejected other options, including possible licensing or legal action will be explored, through Attributor's system.

According to its website, the consortium will work with ad networks on the project.

"The Fair Syndication Consortium believes a solution can be reached that benefits everyone. By joining the consortium, you are standing up for a vibrant and fair content economy," it is stated on the website.

The consortium is beginning its work based on full versions of content, as research by Attributor has suggested that 50 per cent of total of publishers' content that is reused is copied in full.

Other members of the consortium have not yet been named, but Attributor's tracking technology is already used by the Press Association, Financial Times and CondeNet.

The firm also recently introduced a partnership with Creative Commons, FairShare, aimed at copyright tracking for individual journalists and bloggers.

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