Google, Viacom settle 7-year legal battle over copyright infringement

Google and Viacom have finally settled a seven-year legal battle over copyrights. Viacom had been suing over videos shared on YouTube, claiming that they were posted without the media conglomerate’s permission. Now, on Tuesday, both sides said that the fight is finally over.

The deal comes before an appearance in appellate court this week, reports TheWrap. Both sides did not announce the terms of the agreement.

Back in 2007, Viacom sued Google, just after the search giant officially bought YouTube for $1.65 billion. Viacom sued for $1 billion, saying that YouTube was hosting Spongebob Squarepants, Daily Show and other clips from Viacom-owned properties without permission.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, the two sides issued a joint statement today, confirming that there was a settlement. “ This settlement reflects the growing collaborative dialogue between our two companies on important opportunities, and we look forward to working more closely together,” the statement read in part.

The lawsuit raged on for years and did lead to YouTube and Google making significant changes to cut down on illegal videos. Google also said that it constantly pulls videos that are protected content.

image courtesy of Amazon

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