YouTube Copyright Backlash Begins
October 23rd, 2006 by pamela
YouTube has been forced to delete nearly 30,000 files from its database after receiving a complaint from Japanese media companies concerned about copyright infringement.
Forums have been alive with the feeling that Google has made a giant mistake in paying $1.65 billion for the YouTube site, and with the Japanese Society for Rights of Authors, Composers and Publishers demanding the removal of 29,549 video clips for infringement of copyright, it seems that Google may have a rocky road ahead with their new purchase.
In a bid to make the service toe the line, licensing deals have been struck with Universal Music Group, CBS, Warner Music Group and Sony BMG Music Entertainment. Of the four major companies, only EMI did not agree an arrangement. These deals should help to protect Google from major copyright infringement lawsuits, but the company will have to strike a lot of deals with a lot of companies to make sure that the site isn’t breaking any laws, including Hollywood studios and numerous television companies.
Only last month Doug Morris, chief executive of Universal Music had called YouTube and similar sites “copyright infringers”, claiming that they were owed millions of dollars from file sharing sites. The new deal with YouTube should see the music companies receive as much as $50 million which should keep the relationship a little sweeter.
Posted in Google |
