Volume V

Issue : 6: March 22, 2007

• Providing Legal Software Considered Unauthorized Practice of Law
• Identity Theft on the Rise
• Google Addresses Privacy Concerns by Limiting Storage of Search Data Linked to Users
• Court Upholds Internet Advertisers Refusal to Run Objectionable Ads
• eBay Cooperates with ATO Audits
• U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission Targets Spam Scam
• The State of Washington to Collect Sales Tax from Online Retailers
• New Jersey Senate Approves Bills Prohibiting Internet Use for Sex Offenders
• Copyright Board Publishes Decision on Royalties for Online Music Downloads
• Vonage Ordered to Pay $58M to Verizon in VoIP Patent Dispute
• Viacom Launches Billion Dollar Copyright Suit Against YouTube
• Top EU Court Bars Italian Gambling Restrictions
• Alberta Cree Band Told to Cease Internet Gambling Plans
• First U.S. Internet Gambling Charges Since the Enactment of UIGEA

Home > Volume V > Issue 6: March 22, 2007 > Viacom Launches Billion Dollar Copyright Suit Against YouTube

Viacom Launches Billion Dollar Copyright Suit Against YouTube

Viacom has filed a lawsuit seeking an estimated $1 billion in damages from YouTube and its corporate owner Google for copyright infringement, as well as permanent injunctions to force YouTube to employ technology to protect copyright holders. The lawsuit marks the escalation of long-simmering tensions between Viacom and YouTube, as well as other media companies, and represents the biggest confrontation to date between a major media company and the popular website, which Google purchased in November 2006 for $1.76 billion. The lawsuit follows a demand by Viacom made last month that YouTube remove over 100,000 clips that allegedly contained Viacom programming. Viacom is the parent company of several popular television networks, including MTV, Nickelodeon and Comedy Central.

In the lawsuit, Viacom says YouTube "harnessed technology to willfully infringe copyrights on a huge scale", had "brazen disregard" for intellectual property laws, and alleges that there are more than 150,000 infringing clips which have been viewed more than 1.5 billion times. Viacom further alleges that YouTube has “deliberately withheld the application of available copyright protection measures” as part of a scheme to force licensing from copyright holders on favourable terms. Previous to the launch of this lawsuit, Google has publicly stated its position that the safe harbour provisions under copyright law protect it from liability for clips posted by YouTube users and has yet to comment or respond to the suit.

For a copy of the lawsuit, visit:

http://online.wsj.com/public/resources/documents/Viacom031207.pdf