The US based online video website Veoh Networks has claimed victory following a federal judge’s decision in Los Angeles to throw out a copyright infringement lawsuit filed by Universal Music Group (UMG).
The court`s awarding of summary judgment to Veoh is the latest in a string of decisions against UMG in the case and marks the second time that a federal court has found Veoh`s copyright process to be compliant with the Digital Millennium Copyright Act.
“This is a great victory for Veoh that allows us to continue our focus on innovation in online video, unshackled by the distraction of this lawsuit,” said Veoh Networks Founder and Chief Executive Officer Dmitry Shapiro, in a statement.
“We can continue to support our many content partners, including Disney, CBS, Viacom, Sony and Time Warner, who understand the need to innovate and work together to create value in the emerging business of Internet distribution. From an industry perspective, this decision is a big deal as well, as we now have a second clear victory showing that companies who work diligently to respect property owners and the DMCA will be able to run their businesses and be successful without the fear of those select content owners who may be uncomfortable with emerging technology.”
The judge noted that “the record presented demonstrates that, far from encouraging copyright infringement, Veoh has a strong DMCA policy, takes active steps to limit incidents of infringement on its website and works diligently to keep unauthorized works off its website.”
Under the DMCA, a service provider cannot be held liable for any copyright-infringing materials uploaded by users of the service. The decision effectively ends the case.