YouTube prevails in huge copyright suit with Viacom

In an epic clash between old and new media, Google's video website YouTube has scored another huge victory in the long-running skirmish over copyright infringement brought by television giant Viacom. A federal judge in New York ruled that YouTube had not violated Viacom's copyright even though users of the popular online site were allowed to post unauthorized video clips from some of Viacom's most popular shows, including Comedy Central's "The Daily Show with Jon Stewart" and Nickelodeon's "SpongeBob SquarePants."

U.S. District Judge Louis L. Stanton wrote in a 24-page opinion that YouTube was shielded from copyright infringement claims by a safe-harbor provision in the Digital Millennium Copyright Act. Judge Stanton dismissed Viacom's lawsuit, and ordered Viacom to pay some of YouTube's costs. “The court correctly rejected Viacom’s lawsuit against YouTube, reaffirming that Congress got it right when it comes to copyright on the Internet," Google's general counsel Kent Walker said. "This is a win not just for YouTube, but for people everywhere who depend on the Internet to exchange ideas and information.” YouTube founder Chad Hurley taunted Viacom Chief Executive Philippe Dauman, a longtime corporate lawyer, in a Twitter message, asking: "Hey Philippe, wanna grab a beer to celebrate?! YouTube Again Beats Viacom's Massive Copyright Infringement Lawsuit." This is the second time that arguments of Viacom, which is controlled by media mogul Sumner Redstone, have been rejected.