It had to happen.
Viacom is suing Google for about $1 billion for unauthorized uses of its film properties on YouTube where the parent company has profited from advertising.
Back when Google announced it would buy YouTube for $1.65 billion last October, it made all sorts of noises like it anticipated this time would come and they were prepared for it.
This will be a law suit, if you ask me, that pits the way the law is, which would favor Viacom against the way the law should be, which favors Google. This is a lawsuit that is destined to go to the Supreme Court.
Do you have the right to remix and share your digital properties with others, via YouTube is the first big question. Does Google have the right to profit from it through advertising is the second.
The former question, in similar, form was presented to the Supreme Court back in the Napster days where the concept of sharing took a healthy bashing. Both the courts and the arguments will be changed this time.
The decision will impact the rights of intellectual and physical property and of free speech. It will be a case the impacts us all in ways large and small.
Technorati Tags: youtube, google, viacom
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