Today we’re excited to announce our acquisition of blockchain-based copyright registration platform Binded.com. This acquisition will expand our reach by offering our leading image protection services to Binded’s 15,000 strong community of photographers, artists, and designers.
We’re thrilled that this acquisition will help us to strengthen our offerings to the creative community and keep developing our range of copyright management tools with the needs of creatives in mind.
2019 has been a massive year for Pixsy so far with the announcement of our strategic partnership with Flickr, offering an industry-first end-to-end solution for Flickr users to monitor and protect their images with Pixsy.
Who is Binded?
Binded (formerly Blockai) was the first to bring blockchain-based image rights registration to its community of creatives back in 2017. Their vision was to make copyright simple and to make creativity the world’s most valuable asset.
Since then, they have registered hundreds of thousands of images on the blockchain and were working towards an integration with the United States Copyright Office (USCO) for copyright registrations.
We share in a belief with Binded that registration with USCO is a tried and tested way to ensure rights are protected and damages can be recovered if copyright infringement occurs. We have recently launched major improvements to our Register product, to achieve an industry-first international copyright registration service.
Through this acquisition, we will ensure Binded’s 15,000 users access our USCO Copyright Registration services, along with our full suite of copyright management tools, also including Monitor, Resolve, and Takedown.
Binded users can be assured they’re in safe hands with Pixsy, as we continue to deliver on the promise of copyright protection made simple.
Pixsy’s industry-first international copyright registration service
Our streamlined Register product enables bulk registration with copyright bodies across multiple legal jurisdictions in one simple form. Product improvements include:
- up to 750 images per bulk registration
- a fresh interface and easy-to-use dashboard
- new integrations with the United States Copyright Office (USCO), Canadian Intellectual Property Office (CIPO), Copyright Protection Center of China (CPCC) and Indian Copyright Office.
Our team of copyright experts manage the end-to-end process, empowering our users with access to the proper level of legal protection that they deserve.
Recent developments in the US have meant that rights holders must have a USCO registration for their image before they can pursue a litigation case, following a ruling in Fourth Estate Public Benefits Corp. v. Wall-Street.com.
The US publishes 68% of all images used online.* Regardless of where you live in the world, it’s important to legally register images with the USCO to enjoy the protections and statutory damages registration can afford if a case goes to litigation. When an infringement does occur, rights holders of timely registered images are entitled to up to US$150,000 in statutory damages per image for willful infringement.
We believe that having comprehensive copyright protection is a fundamental part of a creative’s toolkit. Through this acquisition, we will keep strengthening our services to manage all your copyright needs in one place.
What does this mean for Binded users?
We’re thrilled to welcome the Binded community to Pixsy, and believe these users will benefit from the additional rights protection and enforcement tools that we offer. This includes our streamlined copyright registration, advanced image monitoring technology, and international case management services that recovers compensation for creatives by resolving infringements.
“Starting off in 2017 with our mission to democratize copyright, we’ve made it easier for creatives to take back control of their work by registering and protecting their images. Our goals align perfectly with Pixsy’s mission to fight for the rights of artists, and we’re glad our users can have greater access to legal protection through Pixsy’s international network of copyright experts and law firms,” says Binded CEO, Nathan Lands. “We want to thank our amazing community for their support over these years and are excited for this next chapter.”
We believe access to legal protection and support shouldn’t be complex and expensive. This acquisition will further our mission by delivering our robust suite of tools and services to a wider community.
Binded’s platform will close on September 30th, 2019, with users transitioning to the Pixsy platform. Pixsy will maintain current registrations made by Binded users through the blockchain. Binded users will receive more information directly by email.
* Based on internal Pixsy match data.
