At a Q&A following the Google IO keynote, a Google exec said something potentially chilling about digital locker service in Google Music: "We will respond to requests by rights holders who feel their rights have been violated."


The implication is that if a copyright holder has a legitimate claim against their music being on the server, Google's gonna take some kind of action. And, given what Google's said about the way it "listens" to music files to generate smart playlists, it sounds like they're using backend tech similar to what they use to identify material on YouTube.

For end users, that could mean that album/song leaks and pirated music won't be tolerated. And though it seems like it will be difficult to distinguish what's pirated and what's not, Google could use the same analysis tech they use for playlists to verify you that have the right to upload that track to Google Music. (Spectral analysis and/or watermarks could expose rips from different sources). And that means if you've happened to download a leak or any unauthorized rip from the internet, then uploaded it to Google Music, it could be taken down.


And not that Google is wrong for doing so, but that will kill the appeal of Google Music for some people out there. [Google IO]

[Image Courtesy of Modern Humorist]