Universal Music Says It Can Pull Content It Doesn't Own From YouTube
Universal Music Says It Can Pull Content It Doesn't Own From YouTube
Posted 12/16/2011 at 3:26pm
| by Ryan Whitwam
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The saga of MegaUpload’s promotional music video just keeps getting weirder. Universal Music Group (UMG) had the video pulled last week, claiming that MegaUpload didn’t have the rights necessary to publish it. The file host begs to differ, and had the video reinstated. The disagreement has been heating up and made its way to the courts. UMG’s newest legal filing with the courts makes some confusing claims, including that it can remove content from YouTube even if it doesn’t own the copyright.
The 18-page filing says not a thing about the MegaUpload video actually infringing on anything. Rather, UAG asserts that it has the right, through the YouTube content management system, to pull anything it wants. Anything. The content management system was developed by Google to placate content owners, but it appears they might have been given too much power.
We will have to wait a few days to see how the judge responds to the new filing. If taken at face value, though, it seems to indicate UAG was not technically justified in removing the video in the first place. That could put MegaUpload in a favorable position legally. The video remains up, but apparently UAG could take it down at any time with its YouTube superpowers.
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CanoeHead
December 20, 2011 at 1:48pm
Let the backlash commence. I look forward to the coming day when almost everything I watch, listen to or read can be purchased directly from the originating artist. May the evil suits in the middle become the vestigial tails of the 21st century.
Of course, if the plan of the suits IS to deliberately break the Internet and return to the 'good old days of yore' - well, that actually that might work for them. Incredible evil plan, but it might delay or put off the inevitable.
On the other hand, whoever facilitates the infrastructure that will allow me to transact directly with the content originator will not die poor. Gee whiz folks, I don't know nobody working on anything like THAT...
Much.
h e x e n
December 19, 2011 at 5:44am
UMG can fuck directly off.
I'm sick of these companies stroking their litigious ego with backasswards law and regulations. They should just buy crates of AK-47's and have at it like real men instead of being whiney little pussies in $5,000 suits.
RUSENSITIVESWEETNESS
December 18, 2011 at 6:00am
You know Google made a back-room deal with the federal government to avoid antitrust regulation.
qhoa1385
December 18, 2011 at 4:13am
and I say, "I can pirate contents I don't own from the internet"
Bad Kharma
December 17, 2011 at 10:18pm
Seig Heil. Welcome to the new corporation controlled state. Beware we are watching you.
ness64
December 17, 2011 at 5:57pm
Why would they do such a thing? Are they retarded? They absolutely have no right taking stuff off that isn't theirs. Go to hell and rot there, UMG.
livebriand
December 17, 2011 at 3:32pm
"UMG’s newest legal filing with the courts makes some confusing claims, including that it can remove content from YouTube even if it doesn’t own the copyright."
Uhh, why the fuck would they want to do that? Oh wait, big evil corporations. Gee, perhaps that's why they have such a bad reputation.
Seriously though, this really needs to be rethought. If these corporations can find a way to screw people over and act like assholes, they will.
PCLinuxguy
December 17, 2011 at 3:13pm
when will these companies learn? RIAA and those like it are only screwing over the people/customers that are viewing their content by pulling childish and unprofessional crap like this. SOPA is just another way we are being screwed over by these companies.. It;s time to either boycott or overthrow, otherwise there will be no freedom on the internet period.
MrSelatcia
December 19, 2011 at 3:39pm
Viva la revolution
I could not agree more with this sentiment. The system is fucked and this is a prime example.
GreenTurtle
December 17, 2011 at 11:56am
So... does this mean I can troll through youtube and apply to pull any of their content I want ? Interesting.
AntonioGarrison
December 17, 2011 at 9:40am
Welcome to the future of the internet. SOPA & PIPA are already here. They're just making it on a higher level now.
kixofmyg0t
December 17, 2011 at 9:03am
I demand this story be taken down because I dont own the rights to it but I want it taken down anyway.
rawrnomnom
December 17, 2011 at 7:59am
Solution? Youtube goes back to the old model where submissions need to be requested, except that the company requesting the submission has to write a 20 page essay (not a form letter, each one has to be individual) with a TL, DR at the end. If youtube decides that they have the right to request the video removed then they can remove it. This will cause an outrage for a few months while these companies try to start their own streaming service, realize noone cares that much about them, and that youtube has lower overhead cost for them, and they go back and shut up...
praetor_alpha
December 16, 2011 at 10:05pm
Someone should be suing UMG and/or Youtube for breach of contract. Apparently the Youtube EULA states that Youtube has the right to take down videos, but not UMG.
Joji
December 16, 2011 at 10:03pm
How to make the world a better place for everyone:
1. Build advanced weapons and armory
2. Disable every large cooperations' (that pisses us off) secruity systems
3. Hack and destroy all of their data
4. Infintrate and destroy their servers
5. ???
6. Epic Win
If only someone would do such a daring thing, I'd be glad.
Kinetic
December 17, 2011 at 10:58pm
So basically everyone that "pisses you off" gets censored and punished. You'd fit in well with the goons at Universal.
Gezzer
December 16, 2011 at 10:55pm
Problem is, as the Sony and Steam hacks proved the only people who suffer are us, the users.
The companies get a black eye and a red face for a short period of time, then it's back to the same old business.
Ghok
December 16, 2011 at 6:43pm
I'm convinced that these huge companies are just going to tear themselves apart as they just become more and more unlikable. What do you think the new generation is going to think of a big studio like Universal? They're the asshole who are always yanking stuff off YouTube. If i'm not quick, I can't even watch a clip of a musical guest on a late night show because they always get yanked. The offical versions are region locked, so most of the world can't see them.
They're not giving me any reason to want to keep buying their stuff.
Kinetic
December 17, 2011 at 11:03pm
I know what you mean. In fact just yesterday a friend of mine told me about a funny music video I should check out. I don't have MTV so I tried youtube, wasn't there. I tried Dailymotion, region locked. Finally got to it via dailymotion.co.uk.
What baffles me though is this sort of thing only creates publicity for both the studio and the artist. If I like the video, maybe I buy the album or the song. If I can't see the video or listen to the music, how do I know I like the band? Makes no sense.
MrSelatcia
December 19, 2011 at 3:47pm
"...music video I should check out. I don't have MTV so..."
This made me lol. As if MTV plays music videos.
Modred189
December 16, 2011 at 6:31pm
At what point do we get angry at YouTube for this? UMG can make all the demands it wants, but it's YouTube that acquiesced to the terms.
w2ed
December 16, 2011 at 4:51pm
Here's a thought: Megapload should take it's content off of youtube and either a) host it themselves or b) put it on a service where UMG and other groups only have the limited right to their own content - ie, no God power to yank any video stream off of the service unless they actually on the copyright to whatever portion is being complained about. This way, UMG CAN'T order the takedown without legitimate claim to copyright.
For future reference. however, those of us who are content creators - be they simple, normal folks who are posting video of their family, local bands making a music video, fan films, or even legitimate material not owned by a major conglomorate should avoid Youtube altogether until Google pulls its head out of its but and restricts what the content providers can and can not do. I'm ok with them yanking their copies of "Buffy", "Black Eyed Peas", or whatever other crap that are illegitimately posted - yanking the video of grandma falling on her butt simply because they don't like it is garbage, and should be treated as such.
Captain_Steve
December 16, 2011 at 5:34pm
The reason that Google has given music studios like Universal this "god power" over video removal was to make them happy when they were complaining that Google wasn't doing enough to prevent their copy righted material from appearing on Youtube.
Of course, as soon as Google gave them this power, they decided that deleting content from other studios that they didn't want on their was just as okay as removing their own. This was activity was frowned upon to say the least.
The problem with most studios sending out cease and desist and wanting the removal of copy righted material isn't just because they don't want their stuff given out for free (they dis-like a whole movie being released online or one of their music <!-- @page { margin: 0.79in } P { margin-bottom: 0.08in } -->performers being shown wasted online) they also hate it when a rival studio gets free advertising when their music videos are spread or talked about online anywhere.
So if you were to, say, host a music video from Universal Studios on your website (thereby giving the artist free publicity and very well selling a few albums) there's a really good chance that if you receive a cease and desist letter from Sony as they try to pull a legal scare to keep you from sharing the video. It's an empty threat mind you (only the copy right holder can have you take down their content).
So yeah; god removal powers for media for the studios just means that no one will ever be able to see anything as they tear at each other.
tornato7
December 16, 2011 at 4:30pm
UMG: We're a media conglomerate so we can do anything we want to anyone with no reprocussions.
drcrazyrich
December 16, 2011 at 4:30pm
SINCE WHEN DID UMG BECOME THE END ALL BE ALL ?? THEY ARE JUST ANOTHER COMPANY LIKE AY ONE ELSE ,THEY ARE REQUIRED TO FOLLOW THE LAW LIKE ANYONE ELSE !! FREEDOM OF SPEECH MY ASS !! I M SORRY BUT THIS IS GETTING OUT OF HAND AND THE WHITE HOUSE NEEDS TO PUT A STOP TO THIS DICTATORSHIP FAST :(
kiaghi7
December 16, 2011 at 4:12pm
"Anyhting."
"anyhting" is a lot like Anything, but more gooder!
Seriously though, UMG has set themselves up for the mother of all counter-suits and they have basically put up the ground-work necessary to kneecap themselves indefinitely. This will play out fabulously well for MegaUpload, and pretty well decapitate the UMG's IP trolling efforts.
Rooke
December 16, 2011 at 4:08pm
We should be occupying Big Media, not just Wall $treet. Big Media is getting way out of control.
Ghok
December 16, 2011 at 6:59pm
There ARE people doing things. Do a bit of digging if it's a cause you really do care about.
avenger48
December 18, 2011 at 9:00pm
I actually did after I made that post. They occupied K street for one day. How long have they been on Wall Street?
chart2006
December 16, 2011 at 3:54pm
Why dont we just give UMG the keys to the country why we are at it. They seem to be able to do whatever they want. who needs a police force or president we have UMG. /s
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