Network policy service for dynamic media

1. A method of processing network requests, the method comprising:

receiving a request via a network for a target media element at a requested uniform resource locator (URL) from a user's computer, the request identifying a media repository that stores the target media element, the request further including identifying information associated with a user of the user's computer;

determining whether the request is subject to a restrictive policy based on the identifying information;

when the request is not subject to the restrictive policy, allowing the user's computer access to the target media element;

when the request is subject to the restrictive policy, processing the request to determine a substitute media element that has content approximately equivalent to content of the target media element, the processing including querying a policy database that stores associations between target media elements and substitute media elements, a URL of the substitute media element stored on the policy database; and

when the requested target media element is associated with a substitute media element in the policy database, generating a selection page having the target media element and a substitute link to the substitute media element, the target media element juxtaposed to the substitute link on the selection page; and

responding to the request with the selection page.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the request includes a login credential, the login credential comprising the identity information.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the request includes a cookie, the cookie comprising the identity information.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the identity information is unique to the user.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the identity information comprises a group-based characteristic of the user.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein the group-based characteristic is selected from a group consisting of: age, sex, organizational role, country, and legal jurisdiction.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the restrictive policy is based on a negative characteristic of the content of the target media element, and wherein processing the request further comprises determining a substitute element that lacks the negative characteristic of the content of the target media element.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein the negative characteristic of the content of the target media element is selected from a group consisting of: likelihood of piracy, availability of a license, file type, resolution, frame rate, and audio sampling rate.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein generating the selection page further comprises providing a human-intelligible message in the selection page, the human-intelligible message indicating a negative characteristic of the target media element.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein:

the restrictive policy is based on the content of the target media element being unlicensed or pirated; and

the content of the substitute media element is a licensed video or audio stream.

11. A system comprising:

one or more computers configured to:

receive a request via a network for a target media element at a requested uniform resource locator (URL) from a user's computer, the request identifying a media repository that stores the target media element, the request further including identifying information associated with a user of the user's computer;

determine whether the request is subject to a restrictive policy based on the identifying information;

when the request is not subject to the restrictive policy, allow the user's computer access to the target media element;

when the request is subject to the restrictive policy, process the request to determine a substitute media element that has content approximately equivalent to content of the target media element, the processing including querying a policy database that stores associations between target media elements and substitute media elements, a URL of the substitute media element stored on the policy database; and

when the requested target media element is associated with a substitute media element in the policy database, generate a selection page having the target media element and a substitute link to the substitute media element, the target media element juxtaposed to the substitute link on the selection page; and

respond to the request with the selection page.

12. The system of claim 11 wherein the request includes a login credential, the login credential comprising the identity information.

13. The system of claim 11 wherein the request includes a cookie, the cookie comprising the identity information.

14. The system of claim 11 wherein the identity information is unique to the user.

15. The system of claim 11 wherein the identity information comprises a group-based characteristic of the user.

16. The system of claim 15 wherein the group-based characteristic is selected from a group consisting of: age, sex, organizational role, country, and legal jurisdiction.

17. The system of claim 11 , wherein the restrictive policy is based on a negative characteristic of the content of the target media element, and wherein the one or more computers are configured to determine a substitute element that lacks the negative characteristic of the target media content.

18. The system of claim 17 wherein the negative characteristic of the content of the target media element is selected from a group consisting of: likelihood of piracy, availability of a license, file type, resolution, frame rate, and audio sampling rate.

19. The system of claim 18 wherein the one or more computers are further configured to provide a human-intelligible message in the selection page, the human-intelligible message indicating a negative characteristic of the target media element.

20. The system of claim 11 , wherein:

the restrictive policy is based on the content of the target media element being unlicensed or pirated; and

the content of the substitute media element is a licensed video or audio stream.