After the news release last week announcing Viacom Inc. had filed a massive $1 billion federal copyright lawsuit against YouTube, the legal experts try to decipher the repercussions. The lawsuit claims there was over 150,000 known instances of blatant copyright infringement of video from its cable networks, which include VH1, Nickelodeon, and Comedy Central. In the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York, Viacom called YouTube a "significant, for-profit organization that has built a lucrative business out of exploiting the devotion of fans to others' creative works in order to enrich itself and its corporate parent Google."
According to some legal experts that follow copyright infringement lawsuits, YouTube's uploading community could find itself in hot water in the not so distant future. It was just last year that the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) targeted YouTube and its users. “Cease-and-desist” orders were issued from the RIAA to many YouTube users. With the entry of powerhouse Viacom, industry watchers believe it could revive the RIAA’s attention in the matter and be the beginning of a copyright-owner assault from all sides that pulls down the “little guy” with it.
Additional information can be found at this news release.
