Youtube Facebook and Copyright Violation

Copyright Laws, Should the Government Search for Copyright Violators? YouTube and other websites like Facebook, allow users to post videos of things that interest them. While this promotes creativity and sharing among people, it also proliferates copyright infringement and copyright violation. Although YouTube has cracked down on such violations, by taking down even videos that simply use copyrighted music and nothing more, it still does not stop people from posting copyrighted material. This is because it is such a prevalent problem that little can be done to completely manage it.

Therefore, it is a waste of resources to try to search for copyright violators, especially when it applies to the government. YouTube is a private company. If it decides to remove copyright violators to improve business and traffic, that is their decision. However, when the government tries to do this, it relies on taxpayer money. Streaming sites like Spotify allow musicians to stream their content and avoid copyright violators from stealing their music.

In the end, most people violate copyright because they want to listen to their favorite song or watch a movie. If moderately priced options are available to consumers that not only provide the desire media, but also added convenience, then most consumers will opt for that option. Netflix is a prime example of that as well as on Demand services.

The government should be more concerned with copyright cases when they come to them as when a person makes a complaint about a person or group of people copying their material. When money and resources are diverted into looking for copyright violators, it takes precious time and resources away from prosecuting and putting on trial accused copyright violators. The penalties for copyright violations are harsh and will deter people from doing it if they have feasible options and see what happens when criminals are found guilty of copyright infringement/violation.

"A defendant, convicted first-time violation of 17 U.S.C. § 506(a) by the unauthorized reproduction or distribution, during any 180-day period, of at least 1 or more copyrighted works, with a retail value of more than $2,500 can be imprisoned for up to 5 years" (Justice.gov, 2015). The old saying "Quality over quantity" applies here. Focusing on effectively convicting accused copyright violators instead of searching for them can help dwindle down the impactful copyright violations versus those that even the creator do not care about.

This is because artists sometimes do not mind when people share their work, as they believe it will bring them free publicity. Many new authors release their books free and musicians release free songs to let their art reach the masses. In Asia, many business owners and anyone involved in media, will violate copyrights of companies and artists and typically do not face recourse for their usage.

"Piracy has always been Asia's longest IP disease, and the continent's greatest obstruction to business and economic development as it renders investors to reconsider marketing their products in the Asian market" (Asia, 2015). Anime artists for example, frequently do not mind when fan artists make fan art, and sell it, because they readily accept the extra exposure. Although the people making the fan art are violating copyright.