Submitted by “With the release of hundreds of pages of court documents in the legal dispute between Google and Viacom over the presence of copyright material on YouTube, Google has released a statement on the case. The statement was attributed to Zahavah Levine, YouTube chief counsel.”
If what Ms. Levine says is true, I think Viacom is just shooting itself in the foot. Damned hypocritical and deceitful, if you ask me.
I don’t have a problem if Viacom (or Warner Media Group) discovers that there is demand for something, uploads the content (which is often of better video quality), and then has the inferior user uploads removed. I don’t have a problem if they require users include links to purchasable content, even if it be from the company directly.
What I do have a problem with is them removing content that would not be available to users otherwise– and then never providing an alternative. They simply encourage darknets, file sharing networks et al that way, I believe… all the usual arguments against DRM and such definitely applies here.
It’s way worse than that. If this is true, then Viacom could end of in criminal court for fraud and conspiracy.
there’s so much more.. uploading from Kinko’s? lol
While I understand why, I wish they wouldn’t have given so much credence to the DMCA though. Yes, do make use of the safe harbor provisions as one would use any kind of technical advantage in a legal battle, but I’m a little disappointed at the lip service given to how it’s a ‘good thing’ passed by Congress that benefits society.. *rolleyes*