Verisign signs on to movie download business

SSL certificate flogging firm Verisign will provide the technology behind a new family friendly movie download service launching in the new year.

AP reports the firm has done a deal with Axiom Entertainment to distribute kiddie-friendly movies over its peer to peer network. Axiom and Verisign's subscribers will be offered the kit to feed their downloads from a PC to the TV.

Apparently, software called "Mother" will block all sex, violence and swearing. Sounds b*llocks to us.

The service will run into competition with players like Amazon, Apple, Intel, Microsoft, Cisco, AOL...in fact there's barely a tech firm that doesn't fancy owning a video shop.

AxiomTV starts testing on 8 January, with US general availability scheduled for 1 February. ®