Google Wins YouTube Copyright Case In Spain

Google says that it’s won a copyright infringement case in Spain over the uploading of copyrighted videos by YouTube users.

Telecinco, a Spanish broadcast TV channel, had argued that YouTube is responsible when its users upload videos that infringed on the channel’s copyrights. According to Google’s blog post about the legal decision:

The court rejected Telecinco�s claim, noting that YouTube offers content owners tools to remove copyright infringing content and this means that it is the responsibility of the copyright owner � not YouTube � to identify and tell YouTube when infringing content is on its website. This decision reaffirms European law which recognizes that content owners (not service providers like YouTube) are in the best position to know whether a specific work is authorised to be on an Internet hosting service and states that websites like YouTube have a responsibility to take down unauthorised material only when they are notified by the owner.

Despite those European laws, a German court recently found YouTube liable in a case involving users who uploaded copyrighted music videos. Google has said it will appeal that verdict.