The Google story about its setting aside a huge reserve - now said to be $200 million - for potential future lawsuits connected to YouTube and copyrighted material is only part of the problem that is talked about.
There are underlying assumptions about the situation that I haven't heard anybody talking about; and that is whether YouTube can remain a mass-media company. At this time this is what it's attempting to be. That's the real reason they are having the difficulties related to copyrighted material ... they're unable to police it because they're 
trying to represent everything out there.
Like one analyst says concerning removing of copyrighted material on YouTube:
"You could go there and be fairly confident you could find anything, if users find too many error messages or too much that has been taken off the site, that could create a 'real vulnerability.'"
Of course he's right. But the real question to me is whether YouTube can retain a mass-media presence. I believe the answer is no. There hasn't been anything that's been targeted to the general population since cable became part of our TV experience.
The question that must be answered isn't whether they be able to handle copyright material the way the owners want them to, but rather, whether they should remain a company trying to be all things to all people in the video space. The copyright problem is directly related to their trying to retain the huge number of visitors they're now getting. I believe that they'll have to change. What about you?
Comment Preview