DMLA Google Images Member Survey

At CEPIC’s annual conference in Paris this June, Google Images’ Product Lead, Francois Spies, presented new functionality in development and expressed Google’s desire to work more closely with organizations like CEPIC and DMLA. These were encouraging words, on the heels of last years’ announcement at the DMLA’s 23rd Annual Conference of Google’s adoption of long-fought-for IPTC metadata fields.Immediately following the CEPIC event, the DMLA established a Google Working Group, and determined a DMLA Google Images Survey was needed to gauge satisfaction with long-standing and recent features of Google Images. The survey, to be distributed this week, will gather input from our members, the senior-level decision makers who represent over 80% of North American licensing revenue - and will guide our future engagement, advocacy and educational efforts.Google has taken positive steps to provide more image metadata, and wants to do more. Whether this new approach is altruistic, or the result of Silicon Valleys’ continued forays into Hollywood, streaming services and content creation, it is incumbent on the DMLA and publishers to work with Google and secure the best results for our members and the content-creation community we represent.Google’s Francois Spies, along with Michael Librizzi, Head of Global Partnerships will join the 24th Annual DMLA Conference this October 27-29 in Marina del Rey, have signed on as Gold Sponsors, and will bring attendees up-to-date on recent changes, explore new functionality under consideration, and discuss some of the DMLA Google Images Survey results.The conference will continue the conversation in an afternoon roundtable as Alfonso Guttierez, CEPIC President, who worked closely with Google on the IPTC initiative, will provide the European perspective, along with Danielle Coffey, SVP Strategic Initiatives and General Counsel at the News Media Alliance (NMA), who represent news publishers nationwide. Danielle will discuss NMA’s ongoing efforts to secure an antitrust exemption for news publishers to better negotiate with Google.As the trade association for content licensors, the DMLA advocates, educates and builds community. In addition to advocacy on behalf of the CASE Act currently winding its way through Congress, and right of publicity laws under consideration in NY State and California, the DMLA promises to focus on “platforms” and their role in content discovery and licensing. It is estimated 20% of searches begin as “image” searches. How Google Images functionality evolves will directly impact the creator community. And while the DMLA will continue to oppose ‘framing”, where it replaces legitimate licensing uses, they embrace their role as consensus builders and welcome Google’s participation at industry conferences. Results of the DMLA Google Images Survey will drive future educational and advocacy efforts and a more cooperative relationship between content and tech.Survey results will be announced in the week leading up to the conference which begins on October 27 in Marina Del Rey.Program: http://www.digitalmedialicensing.org/conference_2019.shtml#program