NEOTROPE LAUNCHES AFFORDABLE SOLUTION FOR DETERRING THEFT OF
ONLINE VISUAL CONTENT INCLUDING PHOTOS, ART, AND GRAPHICS.
LONG BEACH, CA -- April 9, 2001 -- Neotrope Software today announced the launch of Neotrope Mprotect, a solution which provides deterrence against casual copying of visual intellectual property on the Internet, and offers a reasonable level of protection against unauthorized re-use of copyrighted photographs and artwork.
The Neotrope Mprotect (Media Protect) system works by using a web server-side component to authorize those domain names on the Internet which have permission to load graphical image files, and creates aliases of the actual locations of the images themselves. When loaded onto the authorized web site, only the alias location is loaded into the HTML, precluding linking to the content from unauthorized locations. Even if the alias URL is loaded into a browser window, the result is an error page notifying the visitor that the content is protected by copyright, since the image alias isn't being loaded from the authorized site.
Additionally, a browser client-side component uses JavaScript to deactivate the mouse-click function, and provides a pop-up dialog when a visitor attempts to mouse-click any image on the protected page. The pop-up box announces that the images on the site are protected by copyright, and unauthorized copying and/or reproduction is prohibited.
Finally, Neotrope offers an optional service called ReMark, which embeds two types of invisible "watermarks" into the image files. The watermark is an invisible fingerprint, containing copyright and owner information both in the file data itself as well as interlaced into the image content. (This process is done prior to placing the files onto the Internet, and is a one-time process, it is not done dynamically by the Mprotect system.)
When combined, these elements of the Mprotect system provide a powerful deterrent to theft of visual intellectual property on web sites.
PROTECTION IS CRUCIAL
"There are widespread misconceptions concerning the use of images displayed on the web," says professional photographer Nick Gleis of LtdEditionPrints.com. "Some people think it is okay to use any image on the web, while others think it's okay as long as it is only for personal use. Both these beliefs are incorrect and in violation of copyright laws."
"A system that informs and prevents the average Internet user from downloading and using images is crucial to professionals choosing the web as a format to display and market their copyrighted material," adds Gleis.
"That system must be cost effective to allow professionals to protect a large number of images. Neotrope's Mprotect provides professionals engaged in marketing images with an economical method of informing and preventing an individual from unauthorized image use."
Gleis selected the Neotrope Mprotect system for his e-commerce web sites because it provided an affordable solution for protecting the hundreds of images he has online, was easy to implement, and ensures site visitors are aware that every image is copyrighted intellectual property.
INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY THEFT A MAJOR CONCERN
In December of 2000, the White House of the United States released an interagency International Crime Threat Assessment, a report with some stark conclusions: Intellectual property theft today is faster, costlier and more dangerous than ever. The report noted, amongst its concerns, that The Internet, while promoting knowledge-based industries and commerce, also makes it easier to steal, produce and distribute merchandise such as software, music, films, books and games. With the click of a mouse, identical copies can be reproduced and transferred immediately, cheaply, surreptitiously and repeatedly.
"The Internet and related new media has made a wealth of visual and textual content available right from our desktops," says Richard Romano, author of The GATF Encyclopedia of Graphic Communications. "But with that ease of access comes the ease of theft. Indeed, one of the greatest impediments to getting professional content creators to embrace new media publishing is the perception that content can be hacked and stolen with little difficulty."
"What is needed is an effective and easy -- and inexpensive -- way to protect electronic and visual content," concludes Romano, "while at the same time making it easy for legitimate users to access it. The viability -- indeed the future -- of ePublishing depends on just such systems."
According to a 1999 Forrester Research report. "Web technology will outpace intellectual property law, leaving rights holders in search of their own solutions."
ABOUT NEOTROPE MPROTECT
"We feel this system is ideal for the photographer or artist who has chosen to risk putting his or her content online," says Christopher Simmons, Neotrope president and author of the forthcoming book, Beyond the Watermark: Protecting Visual Content Online. "It doesn't protect against certain kinds of determined content copying methods, but clearly provides a strong deterrent against the most common kind of copying: using the mouse to copy and save files. It also protects against server bandwidth theft. Additionally, It brings ownership status of the content front and center whenever an image is clicked."
Neotrope Mprotect comes in two flavors:
1. For companies and individual creative folk the Mprotect service is $9.99 per month, with three (3) month minimum and $14.99 set-up. The system "protects" an unlimited number of images on up to three unique domains, controlled through a single Mprotect account on a high-end, high-bandwidth Sun Enterprise server. Visual user guide included in Acrobat PDF format. The images can live anywhere, including multiple locations on the Internet. Easy to use Admin System allows quick set-up of protected domains and protected image files. Graphic Artist Guild (GAG.org) members receive a 10% discount.
2. Or, for those companies with their own web server, or virtual hosted domain, and an in-house "webmaster," Neotrope also offers the complete solution licensed for use on any Unix/Linux web server: this includes the Mprotect cgi-scripts (requires Perl5), and the JavaScript and other code used for the HTML; plus 18-page installation and user guide in Acrobat PDF format. Pricing for this edition of Mprotect is $39.99, and can be purchased securely online. The end user license agreement (EUA) for this purchased edition requires a credit line on the bottom of licensee home page(s).
Additional information can be found online at: www.NeotropeSoftware.com
ABOUT NEOTROPE
Neotrope was founded in 1996 and develops content for print and e-media, including books, video, software, music, film, and CD/DVD.
TRADEMARKS
Neotrope, Neotrope Software, and Neotrope Mprotect are trademarks of Neotrope.
MEDIA CONTACT:
Christopher Simmons, Mindset Media
PH: 310-373-4856
EMAIL: cs@neotrope.com
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