Time to Shut 'Em Down, Boys
Torrey M. Spears
Google Ordered to Hand Over All YouTube User Data
Thursday, July 03, 2008
Ever check out YouTube? Have a user name and password for it? Then
Viacom's going to find out all about what you like to watch.
A federal judge ruled Tuesday that the online video-sharing Web site,
owned by Google, has to turn over all its user logs to Viacom, the
mega-corporation that owns MTV, Paramount Pictures, Comedy Central and
VH1, among others.
Viacom sued Google last year, claiming that YouTube willfully
infringed its copyrights by letting its users post clips from "South
Park" and "The Daily Show" willy-nilly.
YouTube, citing the Digital Millennium Copyright Act of 1998, argues
it doesn't have to take down those clips until Viacom complains about
each and every one.
Viacom says that's bunk, and is joined in its lawsuit by the Premier
League of England's Football Association, which doesn't like pro
soccer highlights turning up on YouTube.
Judge Louis L. Stanton actually delivered a mixed ruling — he refused
Viacom's demand that Google turn over YouTube's source code, the
software that runs the site, agreeing with Google that that was a
trade secret.
But he used Google's own argument, explained here on Google's own
site, that revealing users' Internet Protocol addresses — which
identify every single computer, server, cell phone or toaster
connected to the Internet — does not constitute an invasion of
privacy.
Google must now turn over all its data about YouTube visitors on four
1-terabyte hard drives, a staggering amount of data, as well as copies
of all clips it has ever taken down. (One terabyte is 1,000
gigabytes.)
The Electronic Frontier Foundation, a San Francisco organization that
defends the rights of Internet users, quickly protested the ruling,
saying it "threatens to expose deeply private information about what
videos are watched by YouTube users."
Viacom wants the data to prove that copyrighted "stolen" material is
more popular among YouTube visitors than original "user-generated"
material.
It sought the source code to show that YouTube does have software in
place to filter out some objectionable content — for example, YouTube
manages to keep pornography and explicit nudity off the site — but
chooses to allow copyrighted material as part of its business model.
There is no indication Viacom will seek to track down individual
users. It would have to contact users' Internet service providers —
for example, Time Warner Cable, Verizon or America Online — to do so,
and it's not clear if the ISPs would be compelled to turn over the
data, especially in a civil case.
Google is likely to appeal the ruling.
xyzzy
Just don't log into youtube. duh. besides leaving comments, what's
the benefit of doing so anyway?
VA Beach Hokie
I supppose Viacom is within their rights to protect their property.
My question wasn't answered in the article - What data has Google/
Youtube been keeping? "Who uploaded what?" makes sense, but "Who is
watching what?" is little scary. Are they logging my IP even when I
don't sign in? Is Google storing everything I search for through
their search engine?
dam
They track you by IP address.
dam
VA Beach Hokie
>
> - Show quoted text -
Boobies. You gotta sign in to see the boobies.
SG
yep, and they just logged this post too
<cross-post to idots snipped>
VA Beach Hokie
>
> <cross-post to idots snipped>
>
Thanks. I'm visiting fambly this weekend and can't see the dambed
Xposts when posting on a Google box.
PilgrimKing
18a0f9...@k37g2000hsf.googlegroups.com:
> On Jul 3, 2:35 pm, "Torrey M. Spears" <nwophoe...@gmail.com> wrote:
>> http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,376003,00.html
>>
>> Google Ordered to Hand Over All YouTube User Data
>
> I supppose Viacom is within their rights to protect their property.
> My question wasn't answered in the article - What data has Google/
> Youtube been keeping? "Who uploaded what?" makes sense, but "Who is
> watching what?" is little scary. Are they logging my IP even when I
> don't sign in? Is Google storing everything I search for through
> their search engine?
>
Google not only logs your IP, they measure how long you spend on a page and
what you click on. They set 2 year cookies (reset to 2 years every visit)
and store your profile data for a year and a half. Then the data gets
anonymized, not removed.
Google is a little scary in the same way Skynet was a little scary in those
Robot Adventure Man films from years past.
unklbob
Just click on "more options" and it shows the xposted groups.