Michael Elkin Featured on Bloomberg's Law Podcast

New York managing partner Michael Elkin was interviewed on Bloomberg's Law Podcast on October 10. Mr. Elkin, who focuses on sophisticated legal issues involving emerging technologies, discussed the disagreements over piracy between Internet content owners and distributors.

In the ongoing dispute between web content ownership, Mr. Elkin explains the parameters between content owners and distributors. While owners work to insure that their intellectual property is not infringed upon and that they are compensated, the online community is concerned with the distribution of content and insulation from liability.

Rather than bringing lawsuits against individuals, Mr. Elkin explains how content owners have shifted their attention to online distributors or companies that permit third parties to upload and download content. Through this ongoing battle, he states: "There are creative ways for the content industry to benefit in the digital age and I think they have done so. I do think, however, with respect to combating piracy, they do have to do a better job of triaging how they're going to go about that process."

Content owners are now taking "progressive measures" to work with various technology and website operators in creating voluntary measures to protect against infringing materials. Content owners are also adjusting their business models and creating other methods for distribution; ringtones, for instance, are licensed and subscribed to by millions.