Viacom Sues Google And YouTube for $1B

March 13th, 2007

Google That’s a lot of dough, and I don’t have much to add except this thought: whether or not you think the lawsuit is legitimate, anybody (including me) could have seen this coming a mile away. Back before YouTube was part of Google, people speculated if it would die from bandwidth fees or from being sued.

I think Google post-acquisition has been too passive in terms of either finding copyright infringing content and removing it, or signing agreements with the content holders. If there’s no decent technical solution for figuring out what’s infringing content, then get busy coming up with some licensing agreements. The content isn’t theirs.

I’m starting to doubt that YouTube’s success is because of user created content. I hope the truth isn’t that all the “you” stuff isn’t as appealing as we think. Is Google not being up front with what makes up YouTube’s real value? Otherwise, why not just take all the infringing stuff down, forget about signing agreements, and be done with it?

Most likely, as Mike Arrington mentions, this more a big poke in the rear to get an expensive agreement in place. Either way, it’s going to cost Google big bucks.

I hope for all that is Web 2.0 that Google buying YouTube doesn’t devolve into a nightmare. Too much is riding on Google for it to stumble. I’m still a big believer in Web 2.0, as I blog and Twitter away.

For a link to a lawsuit PDF, check out IP Democracy.

Additional Reading (many different opinions on the meaning and the legitimacy of this lawsuit): A VC, Mashable, The Media Age, Google Watch, Park Dale Pictures, Jeremiah Owyang, Alex Curtis at Public Knowledge, Don Dodge

Please subscribe to the Webomatica RSS Feed!

Categories: General, Google, Technology :: Tags: :: Trackback URL
Back Previous Post: Japan Trip: Next Week Thursday
Back Next Post: Web Design Tips From Eyetracking
Back Related Posts: No Viacom Videos For YouTube :: Google and YouTube? :: Privacy Is Dead: Google, AT&T :: Google Plus YouTube: Search For Videos ::

Viewing 4 Comments

Mike 1 year ago 1 point
Please login to rate.

Do you already have an account? Log in and claim this comment.

Here's hoping the EFF gets involved.

Seriously though, this "You" stuff is starting to bother me...whenever I view a pretty cool video, there are all of these video replies in the "related" sidebar...and they're all videos of people saying "hey, that was a cool video." wtf? These people are too good for textual comments?

Well, this is why I'm too good for textual comments on YouTube, heh. ;)

reply edit reblog flag

10 /people/flammable/ /people/flammable/following/

webomatica 1 year ago 1 point
Please login to rate.

Do you already have an account? Log in and claim this comment.

heh, actually I think the YouTube comments are even sillier than those in that cartoon ...

reply edit reblog flag

4 /people/webomatica/ /people/webomatica/following/ http://www.webomatica.com/wordpress/

run dogg 1 year ago 1 point
Please login to rate.

Do you already have an account? Log in and claim this comment.

If you use the content of other people, you have to value their work - YouTube can't just publish songs and videos without giving credit / cash to the creator of the material.

reply edit reblog flag

http://www.mp3running.com

webomatica 1 year ago 1 point
Please login to rate.

Do you already have an account? Log in and claim this comment.

Hi run dogg, no disagreement there. In any case, this will be interesting to see develop. I am guessing YouTube / Google will be signing a very large content deal with Viacom soon.

Thanks for visiting and commenting!

reply edit reblog flag

4 /people/webomatica/ /people/webomatica/following/ http://www.webomatica.com/wordpress/

Trackbacks

(Trackback URL)