An AI will hunt down anime piracy sites

The Japanese government has launched an ambitious plan to combat online anime and manga piracy, employing artificial intelligence (AI) technology. According to recent reports, Japan's Agency for Cultural Affairs has earmarked 300 million yen (about $2 million) to develop an advanced system that identifies and removes pirated content. This project seeks to address the growing problem of illegal sites distributing anime and manga, severely affecting the copyrights of creators and businesses.

The AI system will be designed to recognize patterns on pirate sites, including design, ads, and content that matches protected works. This will allow rights holders to request the removal of illegal material more efficiently. A spokesman for the agency explained that this initiative seeks to overcome the limitations of human monitoring, which is slow and expensive, and thus better protect the entertainment industry.

The impact of this measure could translate into a significant increase in requests for the removal of content under the Digital Copyright Act (DMCA), as has been the case with companies such as Toei Animation and VIZ Media, which lead this type of action globally. These measures could also be accompanied by lawsuits, such as the recent actions of publishers such as Shueisha, which have resorted to courts in the United States to obtain information about alleged pirates.

This effort is not isolated. Other companies, such as WEBTOON, have implemented innovative technology such as Toon Radar, which uses invisible marks to track content leaks. Likewise, studios such as Aniplex and Toho have used fake watermarks and credits in television broadcasts to identify those responsible for leaks.

While the use of artificial intelligence promises to be a breakthrough in this fight, concerns are also raised about potential bugs that could affect legitimate users. The accuracy of the system will be crucial to avoid harm to those who share content legally. The industry, meanwhile, continues to seek a balance between copyright protection and respect for the digital rights of Internet users.

Source: NHK NEWS WEB