Pot, Kettle, Youtube

Google has set aside $200 million to deal with copyright complaints about YouTube. The same day, they sent a cease-and-desist order to a site allowing users to pilfer Youtube videos that Youtube users had pilfered from legitimate sources. They need to make up their minds. Since they started, Google has been in the business of using slices of other people's content -- it's been legally and economically acceptable because it's considered 'fair use' and it's been mutually beneficial, but as Google becomes an easier target, small content providers may try to take a stand and make a name for themselves by suing Google for stealing content. And then Google's previous legal cases will be embarrassing, indeed.