Cloud Computing, Digital Lockers and Copyright: The Cloudification of Entertainment

The move to the cloud is in full swing. New methods of content distribution and consumption, coupled with the widespread proliferation of IP-enabled consumer devices, are driving the public's desire for "any content anywhere". The success of Netflix, Hulu, Amazon on Demand, Flickr, and the emergence of novel content authentication and delivery standards like the Digital Entertainment Content Ecosystem's (DECE) UltraViolet exemplify the entertainment industry's investment in and increased reliance on cloud-based distribution platforms and business models. While cloud integration continues to gain speed in the foreground, a host of new legal issues are emerging in the background as the convergence of new cloud-based storage mechanisms and channels of distribution with entertainment content continues to usher in novel copyright questions for stakeholders to grapple with. At present, the legal questions currently surrounding digital lockers and the "cloudification" of