iWorld
MySpace to launch enhanced copyright protection tool
MUMBAI: Social networking site MySpace.com, has announced plans to launch a new tool for copyright holders that makes it even easier and faster to remove content they allege is unauthorised.
The tool is being tested with US broadcaster Fox and Major League Baseball (MLB) Advanced Media and will be expanded to include other verified copyright holders.
The new tool will allow copyright holders to digitally flag any user-posted video containing content that they own and allege is unauthorized. MySpace will promptly remove all videos flagged by a copyright holder. In addition, MySpace has implemented a proprietary system to block videos that are removed at the request of a copyright owner from being re-uploaded to the site by other users.
MySpace CEO and co-founder Chris DeWolfe says, “MySpace is firmly committed to protecting copyright holders’ rights. This is another important step we’re taking to ensure that those who create and own content are able to protect it.”
The new tool will allow MySpace to more efficiently implement its long-standing policy against users uploading third-party copyrighted material by automating the ‘notice and take down’ process that has been in existence since MySpace’s inception.
In compliance with the Digital Millennium Copyright Act, MySpace has enforced copyright protection through a traditional ‘notice and takedown’ process whereby copyright holders inform MySpace of infringing content and MySpace promptly removes it from the site. With the new tool, MySpace will make it even easier for copyright holders to identify and take down user-posted videos containing unauthorized content.
The announcement comes on the heels of MySpace’s landmark licensing deal with Gracenote, which implemented fingerprinting technology to help prevent unauthorised music from being posted by users to the site.
Gaming
Sony raises PS5 prices for second time in under a year
US disc edition jumps $100 to $649.99 as memory costs surge.
MUMBAI: Sony just hit the pause button on affordable gaming because when memory prices skyrocket, even the Playstation has to pay the premium. Sony has announced its second price increase for the Playstation 5 range in less than a year, citing pressures in the global economic landscape and a sharp rise in memory component costs driven by AI demand.
In the US, the PS5 disc edition will rise from $549.99 to $649.99, a $100 hike while the digital edition increases to $599.99. The more powerful PS5 Pro will jump $150 to $899.99. The Playstation Portal remote player will also rise by $50 to $249.99. The new prices take effect on 2 April 2026.
Similar increases have been applied in the UK (£90 per model), Europe and Japan. Sony last raised PS5 prices in the US in August 2025.
“We know that price changes impact our community, and after careful evaluation, we found this was a necessary step to ensure we can continue delivering innovative, high-quality gaming experiences to players worldwide,” Sony said in a blog post.
The hikes come amid an unprecedented surge in memory prices, as manufacturers prioritise supply for AI data centres. Analysts say Sony had likely secured price protections for components that have now expired, forcing the company to protect its hardware margins.
Ampere Analysis research director of games Piers Harding-Rolls told CNBC that further increases from Microsoft and Nintendo would not be surprising, though Nintendo may hesitate to raise the price of its recently launched Switch 2 while establishing the new platform.
The increases arrive eight months before the highly anticipated release of GTA 6, which is expected to drive strong console sales. However, early reactions online have been a mix of disappointment and resignation, with growing concern that premium gaming is increasingly becoming a hobby for higher-income players.
In a sector already grappling with tariffs, inflation and component shortages, Sony’s move underscores a tough reality: even the most popular consoles are not immune to the rising cost of keeping up with the latest technology.
