More Parties Get Aboard the Google Copyright Lawsuit Train

It’s a dogpile! Eight more parties join in the suit against YouTube and Google

Google has drawn significant heat from copyright holders of materials uploaded by users to the YouTube video site. A pending class action lawsuit against Google claims YouTube deliberately encourages copyright infringement.

Recently more parties joined the lawsuit against Google, the owners of YouTube, originally filed by Premier League Ltd and music publisher Bourne & Co. The new plaintiffs to the lawsuit are the National Music Publishers Association, the largest U.S. music publishing trade association, the Rugby Football League, the Finnish Football League Association and author Daniel Quinn.

Google continues to claim protection under the Digital Millennium Copyright Act and removes all content posted without the copyright holder’s permission, once notified by the copyright holder.

In May, Viacom sued Google for $1 billion. Google said the lawsuit from Viacom threatened the way of Internet life. I have to wonder what effect all these lawsuits will have on the competitive offerings to YouTube, like the rumored rival from News Corp. and NBC, which have yet to launch. YouTube even recently announced they would be checking for copyrighted materials using digital fingerprints in an attempt to stem the flow of copyrighted materials online through YouTube.

“The clear and growing message to YouTube and Google is simple: their callous and opportunistic business model is contrary to right, contrary to law, and must and will be stopped," Premier League spokesman Dan Johnson said in a statement.

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