Rights Holders Start Lining Up To Get Money From Google/YouTube

from the oh,-look,-free-money dept

Thu, Nov 9th 2006 7:24pm — Mike Masnick

While it's still not clear who is suing Google over their video offering, it's clear that plenty of rights holders are looking for some sort of payout similar to what YouTube gave the record labels. However, as we noted with Microsoft's decision to pay out to Universal Music, once you start down this route, everyone is going to want a piece of you from all over the world representing all different groups of all different sizes. So, for example, it should come as no surprise to find out that the German Society for Musical Performing and Mechanical Reproduction Rights has now joined the handout line, demanding royalties from YouTube/Google. Of course, part of the problem is that YouTube made this possible by giving those few labels money in the first place, rather than sticking to the letter of the law which says they're not liable for content uploaded by users. They can still make that claim, and perhaps that's what they'll do if this goes to court, but in the meantime, they're going to be facing a ton of random players (small and large) who are all going to demand a cut.

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7 Comments

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elislider, 9 Nov 2006 @ 9:31pm

bitches...
i was one of the first people to ever upload a video on google videos. i want my money back. pay me now bitches.
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Robert, 9 Nov 2006 @ 10:06pm

Pfft
Just another thing google needs on their plate...
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Anonymous Coward, 9 Nov 2006 @ 10:39pm

They thrive off of this publicity to begin with. I wouldn't be surprised if they pay these small companies and organizations to do such bullshit claims just to get google/youtube in the spot light. Cheap advertisment if I may say so. Word gets out that, omg google is getting sued over copyrights. Lets flock to the site like sheep to see what it's about and if it's worth stealing ourselves. They know what they are doing. They are executives for nothing. The more the lemmings hit the site the more ad's that are exposed to those lemmings. Here's an idea...they have a really kewl vid where shakira is putting on a donkey show at the bottom of this cliff. Don't mind the deep water.
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Adam, 9 Nov 2006 @ 10:47pm

Media influence
Given all the recent media attention is it any suprise anyone in the woodwork with even a questionable case for infringement would at least try? aferall, the likelyhood is that some of these cases will be settled for cash.
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Dosquatch, 10 Nov 2006 @ 5:06am

Given that Google seems to enjoy setting legal precedent, is it possible that the payout to UM was simple cloud seeding to draw these cases out?
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hoeppner, 10 Nov 2006 @ 8:50am

blocks of text, though interesting.
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Nukem, 10 Nov 2006 @ 9:31am

Screw the Leaches
A sick world.. Google lets everyone post to share their stuff.... Everyone thinks their movie is worth something.. Hell, they're getting free advertising what more do they want.. Goole, tell'm all to Screwoff. They don't like it, start charging to post based on the wealth of the poster.. Ta Hell with'm. Greedy son's-a-bitches..
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