Appeals Court Orders YouTube and Google to Defend Viacom Copyright Infringement Suit

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A federal appeals court in New York reversed a lower court ruling in Viacom’s copyright infringement lawsuit against YouTube and Google over user uploads of thousands of popular TV shows like South Park and ‘The Daily Show with Jon Stewart.”

“A reasonable jury could find that YouTube had actual knowledge or awareness of specific infringing activity on its website.”

The new decision (read it below) reverses the June 23, 2010 ruling by the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York granting summary judgment to YouTube and Google.

The lower court’s decision held that YouTube and Google were immune from liability for copyright infringement via third party uploads from YouTube users under the Digital Millenium Copyright Act (‘DMCA’).

Read the new opinion for Viacom against YouTube and Google here:

Opinion (Viacom International, Inc., et al v. YouTube, Inc., et al.