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New Jersey Sues YouTube Over Crash Video

Posted by CowboyNeal on from the express-written-consent dept.

eldavojohn writes "The New Jersey Turnpike Authority (NJTA) has sued YouTube and a number of other video sites for showing footage of a car crash that happened on the turnpike and was, therefore, property of the turnpike. The NJTA requested the footage be removed under the DMCA — which YouTube complied with — unfortunately, the video was copied to several other sites. The NJTA still seems to be targeting YouTube since YouTube 'did not try to prevent the very same video from being uploaded again by users immediately after it was purportedly removed.' We'll have to watch this closely and see if, even after you take down material violating the DMCA, you are at fault to any extent for people who already copied said material."

9 of 410 comments (clear)

  1. What copyright? by russotto · · Score: 5, Insightful

    It's an automated camera system. There's no creative input. Thus, no copyright.

  2. Public roads by Martix · · Score: 5, Insightful

    The turnpike was funded by tax dollars.

    So as far as im concerned its public not private

    My 2 Watts

    p.s. file under DMCA abuse

  3. video of the crash by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Informative

    Copyright this

    1. Re:video of the crash by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

      The Google Ads for airbags beneath the video seem a bit tasteless!

    2. Re:video of the crash by niiler · · Score: 5, Informative

      I could be wrong, but it looked to me like said nitwit had flashing lights on his/her car. I was going to comment on the impressive speed of first response until I realized that most toll-booths have cop cars at the ready.

  4. How?! by raylu · · Score: 5, Insightful

    'did not try to prevent the very same video from being uploaded again by users immediately after it was purportedly removed.'

    So...what was YouTube supposed to do? Seize control of the internet and delete all copies of the video?

    --
    Maurice Wilkes, debugging, 1949
  5. Higher quality version by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Informative

    http://www.flicklife.com/81920c872c1787382f04/Driv er_slams_into_toll_booth_and_explodes.html

  6. We must stop this copyright insanity by QuoteMstr · · Score: 5, Interesting

    This is an abuse of the concept of copyright by the turkpike authority; they're simply trying to censor unpleasant material. That we even entertain this idea is insanity, and is a testament to this idea that everything needs to be fenced off and owned. The turnpike organization is a public authority, and even if it weren't, you can't claim copyright on an automated recording of a public place! There's no creative element, no promotion of the arts, nothing other than a senseless and greedy enclosure of what ought to be common.

  7. Re:Background on the crash by Kadin2048 · · Score: 5, Insightful

    He shouldn't have. Unfortunately, the restrictions against people who have seizures are so strict, that many people who occasionally have minor seizures fail to report them, because it can be ruinous to lose your driver's license. (Lose license = lose job, lose house, etc.) There's very little middle ground.

    This guy shouldn't have been driving, but it's not really surprising that he was. The system as it is, only punishes people who have seizures and are honest about it.

    --
    "Ladies and gentlemen, my killbot features Lotus Notes and a machine gun. It is the finest available."