Associated Press seeks to increase control over use of its digital content

A major journalism institution announced plans to expand its control over the way news content is used on the Web.  The Associated Press (AP) is creating a registry

“that will tag and track all AP content online to assure compliance with terms of use. The system will register key identifying information about each piece of content that AP distributes as well as the terms of use of that content, and employ a built-in beacon to notify AP about how the content is used.”

The AP describes this as a response to

Original news content such as that produced by AP and its members increasingly is being used across the Web without appropriate permission or compensation…

Criticism has been widespread.  Opponents argue that the AP’s plans, if successful, would reduce the amount of usage AP-affiated content would receive.  Others see the technology as flawed.