Internet law attorney blog
Based on YouTube’s unauthorized showings of Viacom programs, Google (which now owns YouTube) is being sued for copyright infringement…for more than a billion bucks. Viacom contends that Google is making advertising income off of this video infringement.
Given the nature of the business model, look for Google to ultimately reach a settlement in this case whereby Viacom gets a cut of the ad revenues.
Hat tip to Reuters.
Does Google’s New Toy Really Expect Anyone To Believe This?
“We take copyright issues very seriously.”
- YouTube spokesman.
No. Just taking Viacom’s demand that 100,000 video clips be removed for infringement very seriously. Viacom has the deep pockets to take on Google in court.
If you find your copyrighted work on YouTube, use the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA) to your advantage. The same Act that protects big recording and movie companies can be used as a potent weapon in your legal arsenal when dealing with someone stealing your work.
And for an amusing twist on using the DMCA, check out this story on the inventor of the “electric slide” dance move who is demanding that videos showing the move be taken down from websites. You can bet that RIAA and MPAA didn’t have this in mind when they paid off Congress to pass the law.
Check out Michael Penland’s latest blog post: Two Predictions and Money Makers For 2007!
Penland analyzes where he sees things headed during the coming year in Internet marketing, both for video (Google, YouTube, etc.) and blogging.
The only caveat that I’d add is that the blogging prognostication needs to be tempered by recent Federal Trade Commission (FTC) developments with regard to buzz marketing. For more on that check out my column at FTC Cracks Down On Word-Of-Mouth Ads.
Wishing you a prosperous new year!