YouTube Backs Creators Lawsuits

YouTube has said it will back up its creators under fire for copyright infringement, pledging to pay court costs in cases the video-sharing site believes represent clear fair use. The company, owned by Google, has said it will also keep those videos up, despite copyright takedown notices. Fred von Lohmann, Google’s copyright legal director, said the program will establish a “demo reel” to help the YouTube community better understand fair use and associated best practices. Though the company will only support a select few cases, “We believe even the small number of videos we are able to protect will make a positive impact on the entire YouTube ecosystem, ensuring YouTube remains a place where creativity and expression can be rewarded,” Von Lohmann said.