Viacom Sues Google over Copyright
Techtree News Staff, Mar 16, 2007 1747 hrs IST
Viacom's over $1 billion lawsuit, accusing Google and its video sharing site YouTube of 'massive intentional copyright infringement' is a challenge...
Viacom's over $1 billion lawsuit, accusing Google and its video sharing Web site, YouTube, of 'massive intentional copyright infringement' is not only a big challenge to Google, but is being seen as part of a bigger battle between traditional and Internet media companies vying for a piece of the same pie.
The suit, filed in the US District Court for the Southern District of New York, alleges that Google and YouTube allow users upload popular shows, thus threatening to make the video sharing site a major entertainment and advertising outlet. The suit seeks an injunction against further damages and violations by Google and YouTube.
Indeed, Viacom has been YouTube's most vocal critic in all the months of negotiating for payment for the use of its programming by the latter. Up until last month, when the company demanded that YouTube pull down nearly 1,60,000 unauthorized clips of its shows, uploaded by users, and viewed more than 1.5 billion times.
According to Viacom, the lawsuit is the fall out of a whole lot of unproductive negotiation with YouTube. The media conglomerate alleges that YouTube typically avoids taking proactive steps to curtail infringement; thereby generating good amount of traffic and revenue for itself, while shifting losses onto the victims of its infringement.
Viacom maintains YouTube does not prevent copyrighted content from being uploaded onto its site, while Google insists that YouTube respects the copyrights at issue in the Viacom case.
The search giant has in fact issued a statement, saying they will not let this suit hamper the continuing growth of YouTube.
Google bought YouTube for a whopping $1.65 billion last November. The video sharing Web site has licensing deals with major record companies, but continues to face flak from media majors. Google, which is itself tangled in an unholy mesh of lawsuits by book publishers, online news publishers, and even small time Web site operators, says it will offer new technology to identify pirated videos on YouTube. However there is no timeline given by the search giant.
All said and done, if the courts rule in favor of Viacom in the present suit, the ruling might encourage a lot of other companies to consider similar legal action against YouTube, making matters even more dicey for Google.
What's more, Viacom seems to be picking up allies on its way... For instance, News Corp and Time Warner. A News Corp spokesperson reportedly expressed the view that they too have faced a similar situation with respect to YouTube, and that the company supports Viacom's right to protect its own content in whatever way it needs to.
Also Read:
A Cavalier Approach to Copyright?
USER COMMENTS
From the lawsuit: "There is no question that YouTube and Google are continuing to take the fruit of our efforts without permission and destroying enormous value in the process. This is value that rightfully belongs to the writers, directors and talent who create it and companies like Viacom that have invested to make possible this innovation and creativity" I wonder... if Viacom can actually win any $$ in this suit... just how much of it will ACTUALLY end up going to the "writers, directors and talent who create" the content" - rather than straight into the bottom-line profit of Viacom, itself?
by Bryan, Fort Myers, FL, on Mar 17, 2007 02:16 AM, Report abuse Reply
Assuming the levels of piracy are not exaggerated, it's a clear sign that the industry is not keeping up with the modern market environment. They should not be allowed to use litigation to stagnate the world around them. It comes down to the fact that these companies don't like competition. Even if no copyrighted material were on YouTUBE, anything on it offered freely that rivaled the quality of their media (which isn't hard, unsurprisingly) would make it a target. We saw the same before when the USPS tried to get per-message fees placed on email because they couldn't compete. They put in place laws stating that you can't sue over various results of events, such as the Y2k bug. There needs to be such a restriction in place against lawsuits over technology just because it obsolesces you.
by Matt, JC, MO, on Mar 16, 2007 09:43 PM, Report abuse Reply
I think it's ridiculous that a company would sue Google for the content on YouTUBE when it's only been in their possession for just over three months. They are obviously more interested in a quick dollar than actually working with Google and YouTUBE to remedy the situation. YouTUBE has been around for a while now, so why hasn't Viacom tried to sue them before? It's because they didn't have pockets as deep as Google does. SO, they just sit and wait, and once Google took possession of YouTUBE, it was time to strike. I think that all the companies that are crying about previews of their content being searched and posted online should be going after the people that actually POSTED them, not a search company that is merely doing it's job...helping people find information. These are grade school tactics, in my opinion, and these companies need to mature their business practices. If you are not being part of the solution, you ARE part of the problem. If these companies want to be part of the solution, they need to work WITH Google, and not AGAINST them. Wake Up!
by Dragonkai, Evansville, IN, on Mar 16, 2007 09:08 PM, Report abuse Reply
Even if google looses it wont matter, the site will still be up, and if it is taken down a new one will be up shortly. You can't stop pirating, dont even try, its impossible.
by Jim, Coolsville, on Mar 16, 2007 08:46 PM, Report abuse Reply
There cannot be copy right infringment of a news paper. It cannot be termed as literary, dramatic,musical or artistic work of a person.The judgment is not correct interpretation of law.
by Avinash Vidwans, Bombay, on Mar 16, 2007 08:45 PM, Report abuse Reply
Surly these stolen video clips, if good, can only encourage people to purchase the full videos vision. Theses video clips surly can't effect Viacom's sales. They just see a chance to make themselves a billion dollars. Talk about greed! I wish somebody would use a page of my novel as a background in one of their videos. I swear I'll not sue!
by Derek, London, on Mar 16, 2007 07:47 PM, Report abuse Reply
How much is "1,60,000" ? O'Bama 08
by Martin, Rome, on Mar 16, 2007 06:16 PM, Report abuse Reply
by Jim, Mexico, on Mar 16, 2007 06:23 PM, Report abuse
Well, I'm not sure but I'll bet it is a whole lotta head a cattle..... Bush (current )
by dave, Okla, on Mar 16, 2007 07:36 PM, Report abuse
yall need to stpo hatein on google cuz it aint even dat serious dat yall trippin ova dis.
by nakeshia bark, gautier ms., on Mar 16, 2007 06:28 PM, Report abuse Reply
what the hell is up with the ebonics b.s here speak english......i am sick and tired of people, of different color to say the least, speaking like that in public, but the fact that colored people, or people who wish they were, have to type like this as will.
by Pat, Laurel, on Mar 16, 2007 07:28 PM, Report abuse
you guys are one to talk...i'm pretty sure all of you have, in some way, shape, or form, illegally downloaded copyrighted music, videos, pics, etc etc, and contributed to the problem. google and all the media giants need to find a way to resolve this...although the media giants won't like it, they need to start exploring the idea...
by Lindsey, san mateo, on Mar 16, 2007 07:25 PM, Report abuse Reply
this is outrages goole better lose they knew wat tehy were doing when they bought youtube there fault there dumb
by oper, texas, on Mar 16, 2007 07:11 PM, Report abuse Reply
This is outrages google should have known what they were doing i hope they lose
by aaron, cortland, on Mar 16, 2007 07:05 PM, Report abuse Reply
It's good to prevent copyright.
by lupyo, Brooklyn, on Mar 16, 2007 06:19 PM, Report abuse Reply
by nakeshia bark, gautier ms., on Mar 16, 2007 06:29 PM, Report abuse
by Jim, Mexico, on Mar 16, 2007 06:24 PM, Report abuse Reply
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If pirating is made more dificult and people are turned off by a potential fine, less people will share, if less people share, it will be harder to download "peer to peer" where most pirating occurs. Peer to peer is dependent on large numbers of people being logged on to share the load of large movies and software packages. I think pirating will always be out there in some form but keeping the numbers down is crucial to keeping the artists and producers happy. And they deserve their money, would any of you give away your work, whatever you do, for free?
by Mark Osborne, San Jose, on Mar 17, 2007 08:48 AM, Report abuse Reply