YouTube Accuses Viacom of Covertly Uploading Copyright Infringing Content
A court controversy is building as YouTube accuses media giant Viacom of secretly uploading content to their site. The accusation was made as a court prepares to rule in a $1bn suit brought by Viacom against YouTube for "massive intentional copyright infringement".
YouTube's Chief Counsel, Zahavah Levine, commented in a blog post, "For years, Viacom continuously and secretly uploaded its content to YouTube, even while publicly complaining about its presence there."
She went on to say, "It hired no fewer than 18 different marketing agencies to upload its content to the site. It deliberately 'roughed up' the videos to make them look stolen or leaked. It opened YouTube accounts using phony email addresses. It even sent employees to Kinko's to upload clips from computers that couldn't be traced to Viacom."
US District Judge Louis Stanton has given both organisations until 30th April to file opposing arguments to each other's motions. Ruling is to set to commence in June, when all the arguments are expected to be finalised.