YouTube Not Liable For Illegal Uploads Of Copyrighted Material, EU Top Court Rules

• E.U.’s top court has exempted Alphabet Inc (NASDAQ: GOOG) (NASDAQ: GOOGL) Google’s YouTube from illegal uploads of copyright-protected music or videos under the regulator’s old rules, Bloomberg reports.

• However, YouTube and similar platforms will be liable if it was aware of the illegal content and refrained from immediately deleting it or blocking access to it.

• Previously, German music producer Frank Peterson prosecuted Google’s YouTube for videos uploaded on its platform with extracts from singer Sarah Brightman. The producer sought a ban and compensation.

• The ruling was limited to the E.U.’s old copyright rules and preceded a revised law that took effect earlier this month. It mandated YouTube, Facebook Inc (NASDAQ: FB), and other platforms to install filters to block users from sharing copyrighted material, CNBC reports.

• Tensions over YouTube copyright action intensified in 2020 as the company increasingly automated content moderation due to lockdown restrictions.

• YouTube paid over $4 billion to the music industry over the past 12 months, with 30% of that sum coming from monetized videos.

• Price action: GOOG shares traded higher by 0.58% at $2,543.72 on the last check Tuesday.

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