Those YouTube videos on your iPhone might be illegal

Content creators have a right to make money from what they produce, I don't think anyone argues that. As a content creator myself I feel for those that have their copyrights infringed, though I think that only happens because the big media companies are afraid of digital distribution and treat their customers like criminals.

Anyway, the latest copyright infringement story has just popped up over on NewsBlog. It would seem that some of Bob Tur's work has been illegally uploaded to YouTube, and he isn't happy. He has filed suit against YouTube already, but now he thinks he has a case against Apple. Why? Because the YouTube app on the iPhone plays his copyrighted material (please, no one tell him about the AppleTV, Macs, or PCs, all of which can play YouTube content too. He might start going after everyone with a net connection and access to YouTube).

Bob is 'disappointed' in Apple for creating an app capable of distributing copyrighted material and thinks he can name Apple as a secondary copyright infringer. Now, I'm no lawyer but this is just dumb (that's the technical term, I think). It is like suing Sony because their TVs and DVD players allow me to watch a bootleged DVD (not that I would do that). Here's hoping Mr. Tur comes to his senses and doesn't clog an already overworked legal system with ridiculous cases.

[via Hello_World]