Google Video Blasted Over Piracy Claims

Stony Stevenson writes "A US-based copyright watchdog has sunk its teeth into Google by sending a report alleging copyright violations on Google Video to members of Congress. The National Legal and Policy Center (NLPC) researched the extent of copyrighted material being hosted on Google Video earlier this summer and released a Top 50 list of apparently copyrighted movies. But, in the latest spot-check of Google Video conducted from 10 to 18 September, the NLPC claims to have discovered 300 additional instances of apparently copyrighted films, including over 60 movies released this year. This is despite Google's claim that it respects the rights of copyright holders, and provides tools to help identify and remove copyrighted intellectual property from the site."

Comments

The only tool needed

[speaker of the truth]

The only tool needed is a DMCA takedown notice. They're cheap and easy to use, and companies like Google have a policy of always responding in the affirmative to them. Thankfully there's another cheap and easy response to them which is a counter-DMCA notice and it forces companies like Google to put the work back up (or at least allow the person to put it back up). The original company and/or person can do nothing except take the infringer to court, and Google is allowed to continue on as business allows.

With the law so bent towards media companies, you would think they'd stop bitching when companies like Google comply with the draconian laws.

Re:The only tool needed

[russotto]

With the law so bent towards media companies, you would think they'd stop bitching when companies like Google comply with the draconian laws.

You may have noticed that the copyright cartel is not happy with their own law (the DMCA) and is now pushing for ISPs to actively censor the net on behalf of copyright holders. They are complaining the law is too biased towards ISPs.

DMCA requirements

[russotto]

I'm pretty sure the DMCA process for removal involves sending the information to the host (Google), not to Congress. Evidentally this watchdog group has gotten a bit confused about the process.

Re:DMCA requirements

[MontyApollo]

I'm not sure, but someone said you have to be a stakeholder to invoke the DMCA process. The watchdog group doesn't own any of the copyrights in question, so they cannot invoke the DMCA process.

Re:google will prevail

[name*censored*]

It's google VIDEO, not google SEARCH ENGINE. They are actively serving the files, not just indexing them.

Come to think of it, why aren't they making a furore over youtube piracy? (From my experience) you can watch tonnes of copyrighted videos on youtube (albeit in sections only), and iirc google bought youtube. Can someone explain the difference between youtube piracy and google video piracy?

Mountain out of a molehill

[Psychor]

I don't see how these findings in any way cast doubt on Google's claim that "it respects the rights of copyright holders, and provides tools to help identify and remove copyrighted intellectual property". There's a difference between complying with notices to remove copyrighted content and helping copyright holders identify it, and removing 100% of infringing content from the site at all times, by magic.

No matter how good their tools are, with probably thousands (if not tens of thousands) of video submissions per day, it's going to be close to impossible to check them all for potentially copyright infringing material.

Besides, we all know the NLPC must be evil, since their acronym clearly stands for No Laptops Per Child.

Re:This is the internet.

[Nibbler999]

http://www.nlpc.org/pdfs/nlpc%20viddb%20new2.pdf PDF.