(Yicai Global) April 23 -- Alibaba Group Holding started a movie copyright protection program today, and Marvel's Avengers: Endgame -- which will premiere in cinemas tonight -- will be the first to come under its wing.

Hangzhou-based tech titan Alibaba will work with film companies and distributors to use technology to safeguard intellectual property rights and prevent video piracy, according to the local official news outlet Zhejiang Online.

Digital video fingerprints, like human genetic traces, can be applied to video files to ensure their integrity and prevent them becoming compromised. The firm will also punish those who publish pirated videos on the platform and cooperate with police to crack down on illegal activities.

Editor: Ben Armour