YouTube Leaves Google Vulnerable?

PreacherTom writes "Yesterday's big news was Google's $1.65 billion deal to acquire popular video hosting service YouTube. But will it be a good deal? The market thinks so, as Google's stock rose about $10 per share after the purchase. On the other hand, YouTube increases Google's risk of copyright infringement, opening the door for significant liability...if Google cannot solve this issue. Will their planned video 'fingerprinting' be enough, or just a billion dollar mistake?" From the article: "YouTube's policy is to remove copyrighted clips once alerted to their existence. Content providers say the company needs to be even more proactive ... Todd Dagres, general partner at Boston's Spark Capital, says that Google's large market cap of $130 billion makes it much more vulnerable to lawsuits than a private company such as YouTube. 'Once Google starts to apply its monetization machine, there is going to be more money at stake and people are going to go after it,' says Dagres. 'You cannot monetize other people's content without their approval.'"

Kengestion Charge

[Anonymous Coward]

Next lawsuit will by Ken Livingstone for use of the word tube [tfl.gov.uk]

better and more lawyers

[romit_icarus]

A large market cap also allows for larger and more sophisticated legal counsel! So I guess it evens out...

Google is plenty vulnerable already

[mrkitty]

*caugh*
http://www.cgisecurity.com/2006/10/06 [cgisecurity.com]

Re:What is the difference?

[Anonymous Coward]

Google it.

The code

[hey]

I bet the code on YouTube is crap. Once Google sees it they'll get their people on it making it nice, maintainable, etc.