Google and Viacom settle $1bn copyright lawsuit
Google and Viacom have finally reached a settlement in a seven year $1bn copyright lawsuit brought by Viacom over the broadcast of its content in Youtube videos – apparently without a single dollar changing hands.
The case exposed a rift between content creators and distributors over the right to disseminate copyrighted material in the digital age but the agreement signals that both parties have found a way to co-exist to their mutual benefit.
The settlement follows Google’s increasing forays into content deals as it positions Google Play as a rival to Apple’s iTunes and opens up the possibility of Google striking separate content deals with Viacom in the future.
In a joint statement the firms said: “This settlement reflects the growing collaborative dialogue between our two companies on important opportunities, and we look forward to working more closely together.”