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Comcast, BitTorrent: Take 2 - March 27, 2008

See if you can figure out what the MPAA is trying to say in this statement released today in response to the Comcast, BitTorrent agreement:

“The agreement between BitTorrent and Comcast is exactly the kind of industry cooperation that is urgently needed to address the problem of online piracy. Movie and music theft on digital networks creates network congestion and impedes efforts by network operators, technology companies and content providers to deliver new, legal entertainment choices to consumers.

“The MPAA has worked closely with technology companies and Internet service providers for some time on a range of issues in which we have a shared interest, particularly focusing on the fight to eliminate online copyright theft. By continuing to work together toward solutions we can help ensure the further growth of a legitimate digital consumer content marketplace.”

By itself, it would seem that an agreement to improve the efficiency of BitTorrent traffic on a network would be a net loss for the studios:  faster downloads = more piracy. In which case you'd expect MPAA to be rather nonplussed to see BitTorrent and Comcast getting along so well.

The fact that they seem sanguine enough leads Media Wonk to think there is more going on here than is disclosed in the joint press release issued this morning by the cable operator and P2P application developer, which makes no mention of "piracy" or the "fight to eliminate online copyright theft," referenced in the MPAA's statement.

MPAA chief technology officer Jim Williams seems to think so, too, based on what he said (and didn't say) at the Tech Policy Summit on Thursday.

"Improving BitTorrent function, absent some effort to improve copyright protections, would be hurtful," Williams told Media Wonk. "I think you'll see, as network operators come to understand their incentives, that you can improve your customers' experience and also protect copyrights."

Hmmm.
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