Youtube and infringement rights

Many videos that are uploaded on Youtube have violated copyrights, and yet, nothing seems to be done about them. Many users have uploaded music videos of bands without permission, and some even have uploaded television series episodes in parts for viewers to enjoy!
Being an avid user of Youtube, this article, written by Sandoval (2006) had caught my eye. Robert Tur, a journalist and a well-known helicopter pilot, filed a lawsuit against Youtube, claiming that someone had posted a video he took fourteen years ago on video without his agreement or consent. Tur accused Youtube of encouraging users to infringe copyright laws. As a result, Youtube removed his video, but Tur asked the court for $150,000 in compensation per every violation and to ban further use of his material (Sandoval 2006).

In my opinion, Youtube should tighten their rules and prevent users from uploading videos that infringe copyright laws. Also, they should do routine monthly checks of their website to look for any stray videos that might be against the law.


Resources:

Sandoval, G 2006, YouTube sued over copyright infringement, ZDNet News, viewed 11 November 2008, http://news.zdnet.com/2100-9588_22-148863.html