Google and Viacom Reach Agreement to Maintain YouTube Users’ Privacy

Telecom News Editorials Reports Glossary

Google and Viacom Reach Agreement to Maintain YouTube Users’ Privacy

6:10 am on July 15, 2008 | Category: Business, Web Services, Law

Search giant, Google Inc., has reached an agreement with Viacom that will allow it to obscure the personally identifiable details of YouTube users, while still fulfilling a controversial court order relating to ongoing litigation between the two companies.

“Viacom and the other litigants have backed off their demand for YouTube user viewing histories,” Google said in an online statement yesterday. “We have reached agreement to anonymize the data.”

The deal comes after a federal court judge ordered Google to hand over the usernames, IP addresses, and viewing histories of YouTube.com users, so as to provide evidence for a copyright lawsuit filed by Viacom, the parent company of MTV and Comedy Central. Viacom was put on the defensive last week after a firestorm of criticism, as YouTube users voiced internet privacy concerns.

This resolution should make for happy faces all round, as Viacom salvages its reputation as a responsible internet citizen, Google is credited for defending its users’ rights, and YouTube viewers are able to rest easy (for now) about their privacy.

But the dispute between Google and Viacom is far from over, with Google reportedly refusing to hand over information regarding the videos its employees have uploaded to the YouTube website.

With many details still to settle, the case isn’t expected to go to court until next year at the earliest.