[Infowarrior] - Fox's Piracy Czar Subpoenas YouTube

[Richard Forno]

Fox's Piracy Czar Subpoenas YouTube over Pirated "24" and "Simpsons"
Episodes

http://googlewatch.eweek.com/content/youtube/foxs_piracy_czar_subpoenas_yout
ube_over_pirated_24_and_simpsons_episodes.html

D'oh! Twentieth Century Fox has subpoenaed YouTube to reveal the identity of
users who uploaded four episodes of the TV series "24" and twelve episodes
of "The Simpsons," Google Watch has learned.

The subpoena reads, in part:

    On or about January 8, 2007, Fox became aware that a subscriber ("the
Subscriber") of YouTube Inc.s' Internet-based service uploaded pirated
copies of the works onto YouTube, making it available for illegal viewing
over the Internet to anyone who wishes to watch it. Fox has not authorized
this distribution or display of the works. The subpoena request YouTube,
Inc. to disclose information sufficient to identify the Subscriber so that
Fox can stop this infringing activity.

YouTube declined to comment. A phone call to Fox's legal representation was
not returned.

The subpoena includes the testimony of Jane Sunderland, vice president of
content protection and anti-piracy for the Fox Entertainment Group.

Sunderland's portion of the subpoena, which is her personal testimony that
the infringing activity is occurring, says that Fox has been unable to
determine on their own who has been uploading the Works. The uploaded Works
are also causing Fox irreparable harm (standard legal language).

Sunderland also testifies that Fox sent an official letter to YouTube on
January 8. Although I haven't been in touch with News Corp yet, I assume
YouTube didn't remove the videos promptly enough, hence the official
subpoena.

A quick search on YouTube only revealed trailers for "24," although given
how poorly the site's search function works some videos may yet exist. There
are several Simpsons excerpts available, though I didn't see any full
episodes.