# Google Ordered to Turn Over Youtube Records

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/google-ordered-to-turn-over-youtube-records/455241>\
**Category:** Great Debates\
**Created:** [July 3, 2008, 10:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/google-ordered-to-turn-over-youtube-records/455241 "2008-07-03T22:41:24Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 1\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Ducktail](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/43a26b/32.png) [@Ducktail](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ducktail)\
**Post date:** [July 3, 2008, 10:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/google-ordered-to-turn-over-youtube-records/455241/1 "2008-07-03T22:41:24Z")

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I am posting this in GD because I get the feeling that a debate is going to emerge, but first I have some questions regarding [this](http://www.nytimes.com/2008/07/04/technology/04youtube.html?ex=1372824000&en=2b6bf8ca7000e1e3&ei=5124&partner=permalink&exprod=permalink).

> [@](#):
>
> A federal judge in New York has ordered Google to turn over to Viacom a database linking users of YouTube, the Web’s largest video site by far, with every clip they have watched there.
> 
> Viacom said that the information would be safeguarded by a protective order restricting access to the data to outside advisers, who will use it solely to press Viacom’s $1 billion copyright suit against Google.

My first question is about the simple reason behind this. Why is it necessary to have this information to pursue a copyright suit? No clear answer is provided in the article, other than that “A markedly higher proportion of infringing-video watching may bear on plaintiff’s vicarious liability claim, and defendants’ substantial noninfringing use defense." Why then do they need usernames and IP addresses? Is it because the simple number of viewers could be inaccurate due to people watching the video more than once or something?

Secondly, is this a violation of privacy, and if so, to what extent? Could this set a precedent for this kind of information being made available to other corporations or the government? Or does this sort of thing happen all the time, just never on so large a scale?