Attributor Raises $10 Million To 'Fingerprint' Web Content

Several publishers are testing the service, which claims to be able to fingerprint and then track content on the Internet.

K.C. Jones, Contributor

December 19, 2006

2 Min Read
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Attributor claims it will cull and identify chunks of content from more than 10 billion pages on the Internet to determine where and how original content has been reused.

The company announced Monday that it has raised more than $10 million for a program that extracts and identifies pieces of information from publishers and combs the entire Web to determine where original content is being distributed and whether it has been licensed.

Several publishers are testing it in beta. The service will officially launch in early 2007, when the company plans to have content from 10 billion pages in its fingerprint index. The company also will help resolve complaints regarding improper use.

The series B round of venture financing it announced came from several groups, including Sigma Partners, Selby Venture Partners, Draper Richards, First Round Capital, and Amicus Capital.

Attributor claims its service will drive dramatic growth for distribution and profits from online content.

"We are in the early days of a global content economy that harnesses the extraordinary power of self-publishing, viral syndication, and distributed advertising," Jim Brock, Attributor's CEO and co-founder, said in a prepared statement. "We founded Attributor to provide the transparency and accountability necessary for this new marketplace to achieve its full potential."

Brock, an attorney, is a former Yahoo senior VP.

Greg Gretsch, Attributor board member and managing director at Sigma Partners, said the company will be the first to provide a platform that scans all media types on the Internet.

"The investment reflects our belief that Attributor can become an essential service for all content owners, from large media companies to creative individuals, who seek to participate in the rapidly expanding content economy," Gretsch said in a prepared statement.

This story was clarified with additional material Dec. 19.

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