The
Japan Society for Rights of Authors, Composers and Publishers
searched YouTube, which was bought this month by Google in a share
deal worth $1.65 billion, and found 29,549 files which infringed
the rights of its members.
The files included television shows, music videos and films
posted without the permission of 23 rights-holding companies. The
group demanded that the files be taken down, a demand which YouTube
met.
YouTube's policy has always been to take down copyright
infringing material when notified that it breaches the rights of
others, but requests have not always been on this scale.
Some observers believe that the company will attract the
attention of rights owners through lawsuits because it is now owned
by Google, but others believe the company does not have much to
fear.
Kim Walker, a media lawyer with Pinsent Masons, the law firm
behind OUT-LAW, recently told the weekly podcast OUT-LAW Radio that YouTube operates within the
law.
"If YouTube is asked by content providers to take material down
and doesn't do so within a reasonable period then it can certainly
be liable for copyright infringement; otherwise it is primarily the
user who uploads the material who will be liable," he said, adding
that the company is operating entirely legally. "Unfortunately for
the content holders that is currently the position."
YouTube has begun to negotiate deals with rights holders over
licensed use of material. It has struck deals with record labels
Universal, Sony BMG and Warner, as well as with US broadcaster
CBS.
The Japanese rights society told the Associated Press news
agency that it might ask YouTube to screen material before it is
posted to the site, something which the site has not yet done.
Reports have emerged, though, that YouTube is beginning to
pre-screen material as part of its deal with record labels.
YouTube says that it shows 100 million video clips a day to the
public, and that 65,000 videos are added to it every day.
