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Microsoft considers incentives for Soapbox users

Elinor Mills Former Staff Writer
Elinor Mills covers Internet security and privacy. She joined CNET News in 2005 after working as a foreign correspondent for Reuters in Portugal and writing for The Industry Standard, the IDG News Service and the Associated Press.
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Elinor Mills

Microsoft is considering ways to get people to use its new Soapbox user-generated video Web site, including paying them or offering them points that can be redeemed on other Microsoft services, according to a Microsoft executive.

"We are looking at variety of ways to reward people who participate" said Rob Bennett, general manage of entertainment and video at MSN. Anybody can upload video, share videos on the site with others, embed the video player in their blogs and tag and rate videos they see.

"We've looked at a range of possible options," he said. "People assume and ask 'Are you going to write checks to people?' and we've considered that."

Microsoft is also considering offering Soapbox users Microsoft Points, which are offered to Xbox Live users now and will be offered to users of its pending Zune digital music service, Bennett said.

Launched in beta form last week, Soapbox competes with the popular YouTube.com, Google Video and a host of other sites where people can post their video.

The news that Microsoft was looking at ways to compensate Soapbox users was first reported Tuesday in AdWeek.com.