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So That's Why MySpace Blocked YouTube

(Mis)Uses of Technology

from the originality dept

Tue, Jan 10th 2006 07:35am -

News Corp. raised the hackles of some MySpace users last month when the site blocked links to video-hosting site YouTube. It eventually capitulated, saying there had been “a simple misunderstanding”. Now, however, some are reporting that MySpace is blocking Revver, another video service. Another “misunderstanding”? Maybe, though it could have more to do with the strategy for the site News Corp. Chairman Rupert Murdoch announced yesterday — a strategy in which video downloads play a central role, along with instant messaging and internet calling. Sound familiar? Those are pretty much the same differentiators Murdoch said he wanted to add back in October as part of his “be different by offering the same stuff everybody else has” plan. Murdoch adds that the portal business is in danger of becoming outdated, that young people don’t need a site to tell them where to go — when, by adding the videos and voice calling and beefing up the site’s instant-messaging service, it sounds like like a portal is exactly what he wants MySpace to be. MySpace can add all the cool new features it wants, but if it eschews the community and user-created content that made it so popular in favor of a broadcast-style business, its young user base will simply flock somewhere else. Update: After some people noticed — just like with YouTube — MySpace has reversed its blocking of Revver.


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151 Comments
Anna Astley (user link) says:

Re: Sheer Effrontery

3.

Fox News Corp Censors Myspace.com

Nico and The Velvet Underground were kicked off Myspace.com on February 13, 2006. This is the 8th time the band has been censored by Rupert Murdoch?s popular yet controversial site. Even as the shadow of New York State Attorney General Eliot Spitzer looms over Myspace, and U2 and Madonna build a web presence, Nico and The Velvet Underground enter 2006 as the most censored band on the internet.

According to the Associated Press, ?Complaints also have been directed at News Corp.?s purchase, including accusations of censorship as MySpace occasionally blocked video stored elsewhere and embedded in profiles, just as MySpace was readying its own video-sharing service. ? (Social Networking Site MySpace Is Latest Online Darling Monday, February 13, 2006: http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,184607,00.html).

With Myspace.com as an attractive buy, News Corp. earned $1.08 billion up to December, a significant jump from last year?s $386 million gain. Media giant Rupert Murdoch, who is the majority shareholder of News Corporation, recently bought out Intermix Media, owner of Myspace.com for 580 Million.

With legal problems mounting against News Corp and Rupert Murdoch, New York State Attorney General Eliot Spitzer has accused Myspace.com of false advertising and deceptive business practices. Within the last year, Myspace was fingered for spyware attacks to redirect members to its search engine.

Intermix Media agreed to settle for 7.9M, having admitted no wrongdoing.

While Nico and The Velvet Underground arent ruling out a record deal with Viacom, Paramount, and MTV, it is concerned about this shocking news. Nico?s press conference is set to air on several media outlets including WBBM AM/FM Chicago and Spike TV. In related news, Paramount bought out rival Dreamworks for $1.5 Billion, wrangling entertainment giants Steven Spielberg, David Geffen and Jeffrey Katzenberg. Viacom, which owns Paramount, reportedly negotiated a purchase of Myspace.com before the shocking buy out from Fox News on July 19, 2005. Spokeswoman Anna Astley is concerned about these recent developments and commented on the censorship fiasco. ?Myspace.com and Fox News made no warning that the band?s account was being cancelled. Cancelling Nico and The Velvet Undergrounds? Myspace.com account is tantamount to censorship and a violation of their First Amendment rights.?

Anna Astley refused to comment regarding any future legal action against News Corporation, Fox News, and/or Myspace.com regarding Nico and The Velvet Underground?s First Amendment rights. ?We cannot make a statement at this time,? stated Astley. The investigation will result in an announcement in early summertime.

No word if the band intends on releasing the album just yet. Stay tuned for breaking details.

Anonymous Coward says:

Re: Re: Re:3 so what

“He should and can do whatever he so pleases”

The concern here, in my humblest of opinions, is that Rupert Murdoch, who also does whatever he pleases with the other facets of his empire (20th Century Fox,

20th Century Fox Espanol,20th Century Fox Home Entertainment,20th Century Fox International,20th Century Fox Television,Blue Sky Studios,Fox Searchlight Pictures,Fox Studios Australia,Fox Studios Baja, Fox Studios LA,Fox Television Studios,Fox Broadcasting Company,Fox Sports Australia,Fox Television Stations,FOXTEL STAR,Fox Movie Channel,Fox News Channel,Fox College Sports,Fox Sports Enterprises,

Fox Sports en Espanol,Fox Sports Net,Fox Soccer Channel,FUEL TV,FX,National Geographic Channel (US/Worldwide)SPEED Channel,Stats, Inc.,BSkyB,DIRECT TV,FOXTEL,SKY Italia),

Has a bit of a monopoly on media, whomever controls the media controls the thoughts and opinions of the masses. most people take whatever is spoon-fed them, and one person with so much control has potential to be very very dangerous. He has used his control to sway the will of the people by manipulating news stories and events to sway a certain political party’s way.

If everyone watches non-murdoch controlled media, he loses his control over the minds of the masses. its pretty simple, even though it sounds a bit crazy.

tariq al-suave says:

Re: Re: Re:4 so what

Yeah, but to coordinate a mass boycott of Murdoch media we would need the public to turn against his ideology.

Not likely when he controls all media.

Also, even if the public would be willing to go along with such a thing, we would have no media outlets to inform them of the boycott (the only people we would reach aren’t watching his crap anyway) and any intenet initaitive that seemed to be picking up steam would either get shut down by viruses or by the FBI after Murdoch had it branded as terrorist.

raquita martin says:

Re: Re: Re:3 so what

look here dumb ass you might not care because you a stuck up ass whole, but i and my friends actually want to talk to boys so we can holla at some of these boys and we are tryin to show to our parents that we can talk to boys without getin preganant

BITCH AND WE DO HAVE HOBBIES OTHETR THAN PLAYIN DUMB ASS VIDEO GAMES NERD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

D (user link) says:

MyTrendSpot offers no censorship

In preparation of any negative implications that may result with the buyout of myspace… I have founded a site at http://www.mytrendspot.com that is and will remain completely free of censorship – period. That means… users can go ahead and link up to Revver and YouTube… it doesn’t matter to me… they can link up to their myspace URL or whatsover.. and it’s still cool…please go check us out as we definitely have more features lined up.. maybe not the broadcast- and flashy- style that Murdoch has planned.. but should nonetheless… still be exciting.

Again, the site is MyTrendSpot aka MTS (visit us at http://www.mytrendspot.com and be part of your own trend)

rick the annoyed and frustrated says:

GIVE YOUTUBE BACK!!!

Something has gone very wrong, one day I find the best site ever and because of some stupid video we are all being punished?!? What the h****!

Encouraging violence? I don’t think so. Just ban the few bad videos! And what’s with “all your videos are belong to us”

AAAHHAAGGHRAH!

No Right to take others videos!

shut up dake says:

for your information dake we are not all nerds we are normal people like u and your friends im sick of being judged by the so called cool people just because i play world of warcraft dosent mean i dont have feelings and just because i dotn go out eve dosent mean im not a nice person i may not b able o get girls but im still cool my mum says im rad.

Abz =] says:

Re: i got some new ways to get to myspace from sch

I CAN’T STAAAAAAAAANDDDDD HOW THEY BLOCK MYSPACE…WHY THA HELLLLL THEY BLOCK IT FOR? IT AINT THAT BAD =| I BUGZ ME….CUZ I TYPED A FEW CUSS WORDZ ON MY PICTUREZ N THEY BLOCK IT >=|DUMB ASS CHRISTIAN SKOOL….UGHHHHHHHH I WANNA DELETE THE CAPTIONS AND PICTURES BUH I UNO HOW =( CUZ IT WONT LET ME IN HOWWW DOO IIIIIIIIIIII SUMWUN TELL ME PLZ =] KAY…THNX ADIOSNESS ^_^

master surfer (user link) says:

access banned websites, network security

You can access myspace from school via online web proxy server, hide your IP address and bypass firewall restrictions:

http://www.hidemyway.com (you can LOGIN to MySpace and access your profile easy from school, working on 13.11.2006!!!!!)

http://www.msproxy.net and http://www.surfinter.net

If this is not working please contact webmaster and we will setup other proxies before school ban it.

ENJOY

Don’t forget to user proxifier: http://www.hidemyway.com/prox.php if you want to access and LOGIN Myspace.com !

Michael says:

Proxy sites to unblock myspace at school.

I found some awesome sites to unblock myspace at school or work without any problems!

http://www.myspacebypass.com

http://www.myspaceproxy1.org

http://www.myspaceproxysite.net

http://www.myspaceproxy1.info

http://www.myspacebypass.net

http://www.bypassmyspace.net

http://www.unlockmyspace.info

try these sites since they are all working for me.

thanks everyone.

Ajay says:

ok heres a one stop solution to access myspace..

presening pagemod secure ssl cgi proxies..
one of the few cgi proxies working.
supports a range of sites like myspace bebo youtube etc.
the best thing is tht they have quick email support and send their new domains twice in a week. there latest domain is

https://mission75.info

just signup for their domain newsletter and ur unblocked for ever
just write to them with ur problems at report@pagemod.com. they ll come up with a solution

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