New YouTube Identification Beta (copyright catcher)

Google announced that their copyright identification software for YouTube is open to beta testing right now. Described here, this software is supposed to allow copyright holders to accurately locate if their material is being used and whether they want it removed or to generate revenue from it. The technology employs a way to scan video and sound content and match it to digital samples hosted in other locations online, as just one of its options.

The question on most users minds is not about protecting their copyrighted material, but whether this will perpetuate or hinder abuses of DMCA take down notices. One of the most well known abuses was carried out by an evangelical christian creationist group against an atheist alliance. In cases like these, will movies be taken down when they are supported by Fair Use and other policies? Will large corporations like the Fox News network be able to contain criticism by claiming their copyrights are being infringed upon?

All Google has to say in its description of the beta software is that they're "carefully designing our new identification technologies so they do not impede the free and fast communication YouTube has enabled—whether it be political debate, underground marketing, or the latest in dorm-room comedy."