IRIS Special

Searching for Audiovisual Content

89 EUR
ISBN 978-92-871-6559-6

Edition 2008

• Editorial

In 1989/90 Tim Berners-Lee developed the World Wide Web (WWW) for the European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN). Barely 20 years old, it has made an unprecedented impact on the way we deal with information. The WWW has become a key resource for private life and business. To each of us it offers an unimaginable variety and quantity of content and it calls on each of us to also use it in order to share our own creations with others. The WWW nurtures our expectations of what information we can find, it influences our habits of how and where to look for content, and it generates fears as to whether we master the machine or the machine masters us.
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• Detailed table of contents here

The Workshop

This IRIS Special is the result of a tried and tested formula in which a workshop is held in order to bring together experts from different professional backgrounds and countries. The workshop was prepared with the help of a series of thematic articles, which constitute the bulk of this IRIS Special. In addition, the first chapter reports on the open exchange of views and experiences held during the workshop and the at times highly controversial discussion of questions that were thrown up by the articles, particularly concerning whether regulation is (a) possible and (b) necessary.

Technological dimension of search engines

This chapter looks at the basic functioning of search engines. It highlights a particular weakness of virtually all current search engines, whose text-based approach does not lend itself to searches for non-textual, audiovisual content. It also explains possible ways of overcoming this problem for searches using images, audio and video material and comments on the conceptional, technical and economic aspects of these systems.

Electronic Programme Guides

The rapid increase in the number of television channels has led to the establishment of electronic programme guides, which serve a similar purpose for TV viewers as search engines do for Internet users. This chapter explores the challenges that result from the exclusive copyright owned by television providers over information about their programme content. It also deals with existing international standards for the generation of metadata and the related application issues. Finally, the article looks at possible future prospects.

Data protection

Of all the legal considerations linked to increasingly powerful search engines and the ever-growing quantity of information on the Internet, guaranteeing data protection perhaps deserves the most attention. The declared objective of search engines - to offer perfect reach in terms of search results and perfect recall with regard to the needs of the searcher - creates a potentially powerful data-monitoring infrastructure. This will become even more efficient as searches using audiovisual content (e.g., face recognition in image searches) become possible. The report describes the disintegration of so-called "privacy via obscurity" and discusses the possible need for action.

Freedom of expression

This article focuses mainly on the impact of the basic right to freedom of expression and information on the responsible regulation of search engines. It demonstrates the size of the legal and regulatory challenges in this area and considers the liability of search engines for third-party content under EC law.

EU regulatory framework

Do search engines find themselves in a grey area between electronic communications (transmission) and broadcasting (content)? This chapter assesses the European regulatory framework and examines the extent to which the legal instruments under consideration may be applied to audiovisual search and content navigation tools. Some initial thoughts are also given concerning how the "gaps" might be filled.

Self- and co-regulation

After listing some of the risks triggered by Internet search engines, the report discusses which public policy objectives may be endangered by this remotely controlled selection of information. On the basis of existing practical experience, the possibilities and limitations of co- and self-regulation are also investigated. Do these types of regulation offer an alternative to State provisions on how to deal with the aforementioned risks?

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Editorial

Workshop on audiovisual search

Summary of the Discussion

Christina Angelopoulos, Joris van Hoboken, Institute for Information Law (IViR), University of Amsterdam

Introduction

1. Current Practical Issues in Audiovisual Search
   1.1. The Business Models of Search Engines and Evolving Search Technology
   1.2 The Importance of Metadata
2. Fundamental Rights Perspectives on Audiovisual Search
   2.1. Audiovisual Content Online and Privacy
   2.2. Audiovisual Content Online and Freedom of Expression
3. Regulatory Aspects of Audiovisual Search
   3.1. The Place of Audiovisual Search in Current Laws and Regulation
   3.2. Self- and Co-regulation and Search Engines
   3.3. The Actual Need for Regulatory Intervention

Techno-economic Challenges of Audiovisual Search Engines

Ramón Compañó, European Commission - Joint Research Centre (JRC), Institute for Prospective Technological Studies (IPTS)

Introduction

1. Technological Challenges
   1.1. Search Engine Basics
   1.2. Challenges
   1.2.1. Gathering Information: Dealing with the Data Explosion
   1.2.2. Understanding User Queries: Bridging the Semantic Gap
   1.2.3. Returning More Relevant Results: Getting the User into the Loop
   1.2.4. Towards Content-based Retrieval
2. Economic Considerations
   2.1. Web Search
   2.2. Business Search Solutions
   2.3. Mobile Search
3. Summary

The Future of Content Navigation

Janet Greco, Founder and Principal Consultant, Broadcast Projects, London

Introduction

1. Electronic Programme Guides at a Crossroads
2. The Problem with Metadata Standards
3. The Importance of Consistent Data Input
4. Future Content Navigation Systems

Privacy and the Drive for the Perfect Audiovisual Search Engine

Michael Zimmer, Ph.D., Assistant Professor, School of Information Studies and Associate, Center for Information Policy Research
University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee

Introduction

1. The Drive for the Perfect Search Engine
   1.1. Perfect Reach
   1.2. Perfect Recall
2. Privacy and the Perfect Search Engine
   2.1. Privacy and the Perfect Reach
   2.2. Privacy and the Perfect Recall
3. Making the Perfect Search Audiovisual
4. Privacy and the Perfect Audiovisual Search Engine
   4.1. Privacy and the Perfect Reach of Audiovisual Search
   4.2. Privacy and the Perfect Recall of Audiovisual Search
5. Conclusion

Freedom of Expression Implications for the Governance of Search

Joris van Hoboken, M.Sc, LL.M., Institute for Information Law, University of Amsterdam

Introduction

1. Search Engines
   1.1. What Does a Search Engine Do?
   1.2. Examples of Regulatory Attention for Search Engines in Europe
   1.3 The Interests of Information Providers, End-users, Search Engines and Third Parties
2. Freedom of Expression and Information and Search Engines
   2.1. The Implications of Article 10 European Convention on Human Rights
   2.2. Internet Filters and Search Engines: a Possible Analogy?
   2.3. Recommendation on Internet Filters and Freedom of Expression
   2.4. Relevance for the Governance of Search
3. Liability of Search Engine Providers for Unlawful References
4. Conclusion

In Search of the Audiovisual Search Tools in the EU Regulatory Frameworks

Peggy Valcke, Professor, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven

Introduction

1. Content navigation tools under EC regulation for the info-communications sector
   1.1. In search of search tools…
   1.2. …in the Electronic Communications Directives
   " 2002 Regulatory Framework
   " The Reform Proposals
   1.3. …in the Audiovisual Media Services Directive
   1.4. …in the E-Commerce Directive
   1.5. Interim Conclusion
2. Preliminary thoughts on regulating the audiovisual search function
   2.1. Do we need to regulate?
   2.2. Whom/what do we want to regulate?
   2.3. Why do we want to regulate (and how)?
3. Final Comments