Copyright Takedown Bots a Problem for Live Streaming

Tech designed to prevent piracy has bad side effects when applied to live Internet coverage

As live streaming video surges in popularity, so are copyright "bots" — automated systems that match content against a database of reference files of copyrighted material. These systems can block streaming video in real time, while it is still being broadcast, leading to potentially worrying implications for freedom of speech.

On Tuesday, some visitors trying to get to the livestream of Michelle Obama's widely lauded speech at the Democratic National Convention on Tuesday were met with a bizarre notice on YouTube, which said that the speech had been blocked on copyright grounds.