MySpace said it would be blocking unauthorized music videos and other clips containing Universal Music Group's music but still allowing the Vivendi SA unit and its artists to run authorised promotional audio and video on the site.
Chris DeWolfe, MySpace's co-founder and chief executive, explained as follows: "For MySpace, video filtering is about protecting artists and the work they create."
MySpace officials claim the latest move had nothing to do with Universal Music's federal lawsuit in November, which remains pending and which accused MySpace of illegally encouraging users to share music and music videos on the site without first obtaining permission.
