Google Interested in Acquiring YouTube
Search giant Google is reportedly interest in acquiring popular video-sharing site YouTube, according to a report by CNN. Google and YouTube are in discussions, but would not disclose any details for now.
Recall that Google already has its own Web video service, Google Video, developing its own format along with content available for-pay. Google has even gone to the extent of incorporating video advertisements on its Adsense publisher program.
However, if estimates are correct, YouTube gets 100 million video views per day, and that makes it the largest video sharing site online.
One very pressing issue, however is copyright. YouTube has been criticized for its users uploading copyrighted content. While this is against the YouTube terms of service, it has become very difficult to enforce. And most copyright holders (TV and movie studios, for instance) have become lenient, presumably because YouTube helps spread the popularity of their content, and since YouTube still does not have a compelling business model to date.
But once Google–or any other larger company, for that matter–decides to acquire YouTube and put up a clear business model for the content online, then copyright holders are sure to protest (and sue).
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