Now the fun starts. Mark Cuban predicted YouTube was going to be sued up the Kazoo over copyrighted material and thought Google was crazy to buy it.
But then everyone cheered when Google bought YouTube and it seemed like a good idea after all.
But now, it's beginning to look like Mark Cuban might have been right - as the kind of lawsuit that Viacom is bringing against GooTube is not easily solvable, or preventable with the technology we have today…but Google is actually still legally liable and just got sued for 1 Billion dollars by Viacom even though Google did what it could to stem the damage.
"…In addition to the $1 billion, Viacom is seeking an injunction against Google to prevent the internet company from allowing further copyright violations. Viacom has not suggested how prevention would be possible. "
Viacom knows Google can't prevent Viacom's content from not ever appearing on YouTube - all they can do is take it off when they find it or are alerted.
Wouldn't be fairer, given the current limitations of technology, to say something like ….. "Google should take down Viacom's material within one week of when it first appeared" or else be sued….and least give Google a chance to find the material and take it off first".
Maybe the day won't be far off when Google ends up having to sell or turn off YouTube. A couple of more lawsuits like this one…..
Google has been really, really smart about Search - but it doesn't mean they can't make mistakes. Maybe this was one of them - the "Chink in Google's Armor".
In the next year or so…we'll know for sure, one way or the other.
