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NEW YORK (Reuters) -- Media conglomerate Viacom Inc. said Tuesday it filed a $1 billion lawsuit against Google Inc.and its Internet video sharing site YouTube over unauthorized use of its copyrighted entertainment.
The suit accuses Web search leader Google and YouTube of "massive intentional copyright infringement" of Viacom's entertainment assets and seeks an injunction against further violations.
Viacom contends that almost 160,000 unauthorized clips of its programming have been uploaded onto YouTube's site and viewed more than 1.5 billion times.
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I personally think that they are just digging for gold on this one, they could have filed suit a long time ago, but instead they waited until Google bought it and actually had some deep pockets to pick. I think it's B.S... what do you think?
2007-03-13 09:58:05 · 4 answers · asked by Fluffington Cuddlebutts 6 in News & Events ➔ Media & Journalism
Also, what do you think the outcome will be? Do you think YouTube may turn into a paid subscription? Do you think they are going to sue the viewers like what happened in the Napster case?
2007-03-13 10:06:52 · update #1
Viacom is the owner of MTV, VH1, Paramount Pictures, Showtime, and Dreamworks (among others).
2007-03-13 10:55:41 · update #2
Personally I think uploading "clips" of Viacom content should be permitted as "fair use". I hope that Google defends itself vigorously on this one because any settlement will effectively surrender the public's right to fair use, which has already been quite eroded by previous suits and settlements.
2007-03-13 10:08:01 · answer #1 · answered by Craig L 3 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Oh boo hoo. One multibillion dollar company feels slighted and is suing another.
Honestly, Viacom and all the rest have to realize that property rights laws MUST and WILL change. Back in the old days (pre-20th century) there was no such thing as a royalty for a piece of music, and there certainly wouldn't have been a royalty for watching a low-resolution re-run tv show with out-of-sync sound on the internet if that kind of thing could be done!! It's one thing to claim intellectual ownership of, say, a piece of music. Beethoven composed the 5th symphony. Fine. But to say that this means every time the music is played, the production company or the musician has to be paid, is ludicrous. These creations enter the public sphere. They become part of our consciousness and culture.
For the record, I don't download music or videos off the internet. I do believe in respecting a law as much as possible, even if it's a wrong one. (I'd draw the line on something more serious....). But that doesn't mean I won't be happy the day some judge throws a case like this out of court.
2007-03-13 10:10:18 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 3⤊ 0⤋
BOYCOTT, BOYCOTT, BOYCOTT anything viacom. Perfect 10 did it to Google and until you let your voices be heard these big Corporations will keep on getting away with it thanks to Judges who rule in favor of the corporations. People of the web have to find a way to be heard together Loud & Clear. Its all about legal greed...
BOB
2007-03-13 14:34:35 · answer #3 · answered by Hiqutipie 5 · 3⤊ 0⤋
simply auto delete all via com search results
i would ban via coms net /web /search presence in google searches
no free ride
we need to get real you want in the search or out
you dont want to play go away and stop cluttering up our search engine
reverse sue for advertising [free] for giving a free search service and not excluding via con from thier search
we the consumer search and then choose to see cccrap or not ,remove via con and ban thier whole net presence
they only make violent movies dont they?
this is one of those board room bonus questions
via con gets free publicity via who ?
2007-03-13 10:45:38 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 3⤊ 0⤋