Viacom allowed to see viewing habits of YouTube users
Posted: July 04, 2008, 12:46 PM by Jonathan Ratner
Technology
Privacy advocates and YouTube users were outraged by an order from a U.S. District Judge forcing the video-sharing Web site’s owner, Google Inc., to hand over its database of viewers. The decision means the viewing habits of everyone who has ever used YouTube will be exposed to Viacom Inc., which has a US$1-billion copyright lawsuit against the Internet search giant.
“We are disappointed the court granted Viacom’s overreaching demand for viewing history,” Google senior litigation counsel Catherine Lacavera told AFP.
While the data will only be available to Viacom and will not include users’ real names or e-mail addresses, it will include the log-ins and IP computer addresses for YouTube users.
“The court’s order grants Viacom’s request and erroneously ignores the protections of the federal Video Privacy Protection Act (VPPA), and threatens to expose deeply private information about what videos are watched by YouTube users,” Electronic Frontier Foundation attorney Kurt Opsahl wrote on the organization's blog.
The judge did deny Viacom’s request to see Google’s secret source code for Internet and YouTube searches.
“It is unfortunate that we have been compelled to go to court to protect Viacom’s rights and the rights of the artists who work with and depend on us,” Viacom said in a statement. “YouTube and Google have put us in this position by continuing to defend their illegal and irresponsible conduct and profiting from copyright infringement, when they could be implementing the safe and legal user generated content experience they promise.”
Jonathan Ratner
Posted: July 04, 2008, 12:46 PM by Jonathan Ratner
Technology
Privacy advocates and YouTube users were outraged by an order from a U.S. District Judge forcing the video-sharing Web site’s owner, Google Inc., to hand over its database of viewers. The decision means the viewing habits of everyone who has ever used YouTube will be exposed to Viacom Inc., which has a US$1-billion copyright lawsuit against the Internet search giant.
“We are disappointed the court granted Viacom’s overreaching demand for viewing history,” Google senior litigation counsel Catherine Lacavera told AFP.
While the data will only be available to Viacom and will not include users’ real names or e-mail addresses, it will include the log-ins and IP computer addresses for YouTube users.
“The court’s order grants Viacom’s request and erroneously ignores the protections of the federal Video Privacy Protection Act (VPPA), and threatens to expose deeply private information about what videos are watched by YouTube users,” Electronic Frontier Foundation attorney Kurt Opsahl wrote on the organization's blog.
The judge did deny Viacom’s request to see Google’s secret source code for Internet and YouTube searches.
“It is unfortunate that we have been compelled to go to court to protect Viacom’s rights and the rights of the artists who work with and depend on us,” Viacom said in a statement. “YouTube and Google have put us in this position by continuing to defend their illegal and irresponsible conduct and profiting from copyright infringement, when they could be implementing the safe and legal user generated content experience they promise.”
Jonathan Ratner
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