Philips is developing anti piracy technology that will help online video sites restrict use of copyrighted content. It could effectively automatically detect and stop users posting copyrighted TV clips and TV shows to video sharing sites. If the technology is proved successful content owner could very well force video sharing sites to use this technology or face a lawsuit.

The technology works by taking a bitstream "fingerprint" from a video clip to create a database of known material. When videos are then posted to video sharing sites the technology can detect and filter those videos with matching fingerprints. Sounds good in theory but its accuracy is yet to be proven.