Periscope, Twitter’s $100-million live-streaming app, has gone from Hollywood’s favorite new toy to a potential copyright infringement fiasco in less time than it takes to type 140 characters.
“We are aware of Periscope and have sent take-down notices,” an HBO spokeswoman said in a statement to TheWrap. “In general, we feel developers should have tools which proactively prevent mass copyright infringement from occurring on their apps and not be solely reliant upon notifications.”
Twitter declined TheWrap’s request for comment on this matter.
However, the social media platform said it strictly prohibits copyright infringement, according to the company’s content policy. ”
“We respect the intellectual property rights of others and expect Periscope users to do the same,” Twitter states on its site. Additionally, the company has a team dedicated to content review.
But the HBO “GoT” debacle doesn’t seem to have made much of a dent in the app’s increasing popularity. According to App Annie, an international digital research firm, Periscope is currently ranked 165 among all apps in the U.S., and 22 among social media apps.
Despite the hiccup — Perisicope, which allows anyone to livestream video at the touch of a button, can count some of Hollywood’s biggest stars among its early adopters and fans — including Ellen DeGeneres, Seth Meyers and Jimmy Fallon.
“As soon as we started testing with Periscope we realized there was a great opportunity here,” executive producer of “Dancing With the Stars” Joe Sungkur told TheWrap. “What Periscope allows us to do is use this livestreaming ability to give little bite-size chunks throughout the day and really tease the show.”
“DWTS” is one of the first shows to embrace Periscope, even before its official launch. Producers introduced dancers and contestants to the app and asked them to fire it up whenever they felt like it.
“It’s so accessible, you don’t have to go through the rigmarole, getting everyone organized,” said Sungkur. “You can do it on the fly now.”
And that accessibility is exactly what the huge selling point, according to experts.
“It’s a game changer,” founder of Los Angeles-based media company, theAudience, Oliver Luckett, told TheWrap. “Anyone can now become a TV star with an audience. That’s what’s crazy! You get fans instantly from around the world.”
While HBO may have present issues with Periscope, others have embraced it and are harnessing the app’s power to engage fans and drive TV tune-ins.
Jimmy Fallon was among the first to use the app, broadcasting a “monoscope” the day the product was released; NBC’s “The Voice” held a Periscope viewing party; And both iHeartRadio Music Awards and Kids Choice Awards shared some red carpet moments and backstage action – all on Periscope.
Ellen DeGeneres, an early fan of the app, probably summed up the Periscope craze best.
“Periscope is an app that lets you stream anything you want any time of day to strangers all around the world. That’s the good news,” DeGeneres told her daytime talk show audience. “The bad news is it lets you live stream anything you want any time of day to strangers all around the world.”
While DeGeneres and other talk shows have used Periscope live on the air, scripted shows have had to find more creative ways to use the app to their advantage.
“Scandal” stars Josh Malina, Bellamy Young and Katie Lowes have been broadcasting from the set of Shonda Rhimes‘ ABC juggernaut, and even gave “Gladiators” an inside look into their private trailers.
A&E will be giving its fans a special treat in the form of a live digital tour of the iconic Bates Motel to promote an upcoming episode of the “Psycho”-inspired show.
And Comedy Central’s “Big Time Hollywood, FL” recently had its stars broadcasting live commentary as they binged watched the first three episodes of the show.
“For years stars and creators have been tweeting and posting on Facebook really giving fans a chance to get inside their favorite entertainment properties in a way they’ve never been able to before,” Comedy Central’s chief marketing officer, Walter Levitt, told TheWrap. “Persicope really feels like the next evolution of that.”
While the app is still the small fish in a very big pond, experts say Periscope will continue to make waves in the ocean that is Hollywood.
“It’s a much more intimate version of what Twitter was,” said Luckett. “I got very excited about it and told all my partners that they should be putting together Periscope networks immediately.”
21 Buzziest Streaming Shows: From 'Marco Polo' to 'Transparent' (Photos)
The Amazon Studios original series "Transparent" chronicles the abnormal life of the Pfefferman family once it's revealed that father Mort is transgender. The groundbreaking series won the Golden Globe for Best Television Series - Musical or Comedy, and Jeffrey Tambor snagged the award for Best Actor in a Television Series for his portrayal of Mort-now-Maura Pfefferman.
Amazon
With Season 2 having premiered in Oct. 2014, Amazon's political comedy "Alpha House" stars John Goodman, Clark Johnson, Matt Molloy, and Mark Consuelos as Republican U.S. Senators living together in Washington, D.C.
Amazon
The first two seasons of Netflix's insanely popular "Orange is the New Black" are ready to binge-watch (if you haven't already), and it's third season will be released in June.
Netflix
Actor and musician Steve Van Zandt stars in "Lilyhammer," the American version of a Norwegian series of the same name. Centering on a New York mobster starting a new life in Norway, all three seasons are currently available for streaming on Netflix.
Netflix
Netflix's first original cartoon series, "BoJack Horseman," is a delightfully politically incorrect comedy about a 90s sitcom star who has faded from the spotlight.
Netflix
Another Netflix original, "Hemlock Grove" is a dramatical thriller about a string of murders in the fictional town of Hemlock Grove, and the two men who investigate.
Netflix
"Marco Polo" is Netflix's historical drama about the explorer's early years in the court of Kublai Khan. The show stars Lorenzo Richelmy as Marco Polo and Benedict Wong as Kublai Khan.
Netflix
Netflix streaming gem "House of Cards," stars Kevin Spacey and Robin Wright as South Carolina Democrat Frank Underwood and his wife, Claire, as they execute ruthless schemes for power in Washington, D.C. The third season is scheduled to premiere in February.
Netflix
Marvel's live-action series "Daredevil" stars Charlie Cox and Vincent D'Onofrio, and follows the adventures of NYC lawyer Matt Murdock (Cox). Blinded as a child, his other senses are elevated to superhuman levels, allowing him to fight crime as masked vigilante Daredevil. The first season is available for streaming on April 10th.
Netflix
Krysten Ritter will star as Jessica Jones, the titular superheroine-turned-private detective in another Marvel and Netflix collaboration, "A.K.A. Jessica Jones." The series will air on Netflix in 2015, and will also star Mike Colter ("The Good Wife").
Netflix
The fourth and final season of the former AMC series, "The Killing," found a home on Netflix. The crime drama recently wrapped up its run with Mireille Enos and Joel Kinnaman in their lead roles as homicide detectives Sarah Linden and Stephen Holder.
Netflix
"Arrested Development" got a reboot for a fourth and final season on Netflix. Die-hard fans of the show argued over the success of the streamed season, but we still saw all original cast members return to reprise their quirky, dysfunctional roles in the Bluth family.
Netflix
The creepy crime drama, "The Fall," originally a BBC series, premieres its second season Jan. 16th on Netflix. Set in Northern Ireland, the show follows detective Stella Gibson and her pursuit of serial killer Paul Spector, played by Jamie Dornan ("Fifty Shades of Grey").
Netflix
Netflix continues its love of historical crime dramas with "Peaky Blinders." Set in 1919 post-WWI England, the crime saga follows a gang as they operate out of Birmingham, led by mob boss Tommy Shelby (Cillian Murphy).
Netflix
Cult favorite and former NBC comedy "Community" was brought from the brink of cancelation by none other than Yahoo. Its sixth season will be available for streaming March 17th, and will add Paget Brewster ("Criminal Minds") to its main cast.
NBC
"Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee," the brainchild of Jerry Seinfeld, premiered on Crackle in 2012. Seinfeld has let us in on chats with Louis C.K., Jimmy Fallon, Larry David, and many others.
Crackle
Created by "Late Night" host Seth Meyers and streamed on Hulu, offbeat superhero comedy "The Awesomes" follows Prock (voiced by Meyers) the son of Mr. Awesome, the greatest superhero on earth. When Mr. Awesome retires, Prock gathers his own team of sub-par heroes, and hilarity ensues.
Hulu
Hulu original comedy "The Hotwives of Orlando" blatantly spoofs the "Real Housewives" franchise. It stars Casey Wilson, Kristen Schaal, Angela Kinsey, Danielle Schneider, Tymberlee Hill and Andrea Savage as wealthy housewives in Orlando, Florida. The second season will premiere sometime in 2015 and follow a new group of women living in Las Vegas.
Hulu
Another Hulu original, "Quickdraw" tells the tale of Sheriff John Henry Hoyle, a recent Harvard graduate, and Deputy Eli as they blunder through Wild West crime in 1870s Kansas.
Hulu
Hulu's drama series "East Los High" chronicles the coming-of-age of a high school group in East L.A. The series marks Hulu's first with an all Latino cast, starring Alicia Sixtos (ABC Family's "The Fosters") and Vannessa Vasquez. The show was renewed for a third season.
Hulu
Continuing with the rise of original YouTube content, "Video Game High School" is a futuristic action comedy that follows BrianD (Josh Baylock), a newly admitted student to VGHS as he navigates the world of competitive gaming making friends and enemies along the way.
YouTube
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Online streaming sites are more popular than ever now that they’re creating original, knockout shows; here are TheWrap’s top picks
The Amazon Studios original series "Transparent" chronicles the abnormal life of the Pfefferman family once it's revealed that father Mort is transgender. The groundbreaking series won the Golden Globe for Best Television Series - Musical or Comedy, and Jeffrey Tambor snagged the award for Best Actor in a Television Series for his portrayal of Mort-now-Maura Pfefferman.