It’s begun – fears that popular video-sharing website YouTube.com will soon be made useless due to copyright infringement issues are beginning to become reality.

29,549 video clips from television shows, music videos, and movies were found to have been posted by YouTube users without permission on the website, said an official from The Japan Society for Rights of Authors, Composers and Publishers on Friday. The group, which represented 23 Japanese TV stations and entertainment companies, filed a complaint of copyright infringement to YouTube, a California-based start-up that Google recently announced plans to buy out.

YouTube immediately removed the files, as per their policy when such complaints are received.

YouTube has been negotiating with a number of entertainment and media companies for approval of the posting of copyrighted materials in exchange for sharing ad revenue. The company currently has licensing deals with CBS Corp., Warner Music Group Corp., Vivendi SA’s Universal Music Group and Sony BMG Music Entertainment.

YouTube shows more than 100 million video clips per day and reaches a worldwide audience of about 72.1 million, according to comScore Media Metrix.






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