They’ve been here before. Google must be getting use to YouTube copyright infringement suits in the wake of the Viacom affair, which could cost them $1 billion. This time it’s Mediaset, the Italian media company run by Silvio Berlesconi, the Italian Prime Minister.
According to Vnunet, Mediaset claims that it analyzed YouTube videos last month and discovered some 325 hours of copyright material on a total of 4,643 videos, meaning it lost over 315,000 viewing days – the figures on which it’s basing its claim.
In a statement Google tried to calm things down, saying:
"There is no need for legal action … We prohibit users from uploading infringing material and we cooperate with all copyright holders to identify and promptly remove infringing content as soon as we are officially notified."