In about two weeks’ time, the two-year anniversary of YouTube Germany’s launch will roll around. The site’s set to receive more legal documents than birthday presents, however, as it’s facing some formal complaints.
The distribution of copyrighted material is at issue, of course, and so is the (lack of) distribution of royalties. What sets this situation a little bit apart from other ones is that a number of individuals -rather than just a money-grubbing organization or two – are involved.
Wolfgang Spahr reported, “Those filing the complaints include: U.K. soprano Sarah Brightman and her German producer Frank Peterson; German producers Jon Caffery (Die Toten Hosen) and Toni Cottura (Backstreet Boys, Twenty Four Seven, Scatman); independent publishers Gerig Musikverlage, Bishop Songs and Musikverlag Progressive; plus independent labels Highball Music and Coconut Music.”
Then here’s the other odd thing about the situation: the claimants have asked for both the uploaders and downloaders of copyrighted material to be identified.
Still, it seems that German authorities will get to say a few things before the case even makes it to court. And it’s almost hard to guess what sort of outcome YouTube really wants, considering that it might appreciate having a global stage to promote Content ID and point out some of the music industry’s quirks.
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