France’s top soccer leagues and its tennis governing body are the latest to join a proposed class-action lawsuit against YouTube for alleged copyright infringement. The Ligue de Football Professionnel and the Federation Francaise de Tennis, along with Cherry Lane Music Publishing, are joining in on the suit earlier filed in New York in May by England’s Premier League football division and the music publisher Bourne.
The French organizations claim YouTube illegally has hosted footage from matches in France’s top two soccer leagues and cup competitions and from the French Open, taking place this week. Cherry Lane manages copyrights (over 65,000 of them) to music by the likes of Elvis Presley, John Legend and The Black Eyed Peas. Releases.).
As Staci noted when the suit was filed, a judge has to grant class-action status before multiple plaintiffs can come in on a case in such a manner – the original complainants are now building a case for that by citing Viacom’s own suit as well as others along with the support from the new entrants. The case seeks unspecified damages and an injunction forcing YouTube to change its business model to something more copyright-friendly.