A Spanish federal court has dismissed copyright infringement charges against Google’s YouTube that could have brought the online video service to a halt by forcing it to monitor every piece of content.
Telecinco, a Spanish broadcaster, had brought the charges against YouTube, arguing that it should be liable when users upload material that violates copyright protection.
Google, which owns YouTube, praised the court’s decision to reject the charges on the basis that YouTube offers users tools to remove content that infringes on copyrights.
“This decision is a clear victory for the internet and the rules that govern it,” Google said on its blog.
The ruling follows a similar victory in the US in a case brought by Viacom, creating clearer legal direction for Google’s copyright responsibilities on YouTube. Viacom has said it will appeal against that decision
It comes as Google steps up efforts to make the site a destination for professional content, as well as the home-made videos for which it is still best known.
Television programmes and films are already available for free viewing on the site in some countries, including shows from Channel 4 and Channel 5, the UK broadcasters. Vevo, its music video subsidiary, is expected to launch in Europe later this year.
YouTube has also shown live broadcasts of a U2 concert and Indian Premier League cricket matches, and Google has explored offering pay-per-view movies with Hollywood studios.
Under European law, owners of content are considered best placed to monitor how their work is being used rather than service providers such as YouTube.
The company said that more than 24 hours of video is uploaded to its website every minute and that the task of screening all of that content would make it and other social media websites such as Facebook, Twitter and MySpace “grind to a halt”.
YouTube said it had created a content identification tool that allows content creators to remove edited copyrighted material and alerts them if something is wrongfully uploaded. This “Content ID” service is used by more than 1,000 media companies.
Aaron Ferstman, head of communications for YouTube’s operations in Europe, the Middle East and Africa said the decision “demonstrates the wisdom of European laws” and that YouTube hopes to work with Telecinco in the “spirit of copyright protection.”
@'FT"
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