YouTube Networks Sue Music Service For "Copyright Trolling"

[Steve Ballard]

“Copyright troll” is a term used to describe entities that make their money by claiming — in the courtroom or outside of it — that content producers or other companies are infringing on their copyrights. It’s what two of the biggest YouTube producers, Machinima and Collective Digital Studio, call the music service Freeplay in a pair of new lawsuits.

In October 2014, their YouTubers began receiving monetary demands for music from Freeplay. But the networks themselves did too, though they had “never subscribed to Freeplay’s service, downloaded Freeplay’s music, or otherwise agreed to any of Freeplay’s terms and conditions,” they claim.

The demands typically come from a different company, TuneSat, “ostensibly a third party ‘monitoring’ the web for supposed infringement on behalf of Freeplay.” But the complaints claim that TuneSat and Freeplay were founded and are run by the same CEO.

You can read the entire article here:

[Rob (Cruciform)]

Steve, the link didn’t stick.

[Mark_Petrie]

I think he meant this one: http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/thr-esq/youtube-networks-sue-music-service-772420

[Mark_Petrie]

I think this is the meat of it:

The producers claim that Freeplay offers producers free music for YouTube videos, then demands “outrageous” license fees when video producers use its music. They say Freeplay then sends a “shakedown demand” threatening litigation and demanding more payments.

It sounds like the main issue is Freeplay is letting people use their music for free in YouTube videos, but enrolling it in ContentID, effectively blocking anyone from monetizing their videos. The license fee for monetizing is $250 per year (from Freeplay’s website). The YouTube video producers consider paying for an annual commercial license ‘extortion’.

However, here’s the other side of the story:

https://pinside.com/pinball/forum/topic/any-lawyers-in-the-house

Long story short – a guy used FreePlay music on his website, they then sent him a letter asking for $15,000 and then settled for $750.

[MuscoSound]

Reminds me of something they taught me in economics 101. TINSTAAFL (There is no such thing as a free lunch).

[Dave]

Freeplay is a company that can not be trusted. I dealt with these guys a few years ago and I do not like anything about their philosophy. I thought I was entering into a deal where they would place my music into TV shows “gratis” but I’d still get back end royalties. Their contract had a “minimum license fee” of $500 in order for the 50/50 split to come into play. It turns out that that were dozens of licenses sold for $50, $100, $250, etc…all of which added up to meaningful income for an individual composer. The owner said. “This has to be our policy in order for us to keep our doors open, pay the rent, keep this thing going…etc.etc…” yeah sure.

Big time con artist was all I detected on the other end of the line.

Additionally, hundreds of tracks were given away or “licensed for free” to YOUTUBERS. I was encouraged to get on board and write exclusive cues (for free) to get involved with the Content ID opportunity. This entire business model amounts to bottom of the barrel scum. I have no idea why any composer sends music to that catalog, if you want even call it a catalog. It’s more like a free junkyard of music cues where every composer contributing is being used to enrich the owners from this bizarre money making scheme.

I pulled my cues real fast. Does not surprise me that law suits are popping up. I do praise them for paying me my 50% of all the licenses they sold after I raised hell. I have no idea how anyone can look themselves in the mirror and feel good about themselves when they deliberately give away hundreds of cues to YOUTUBERS, AND pocket 100% of hundreds of license fees in the $25 to $499 range off the backs of writers. Then they have the audacity to say “well we need to kep those small license fees to keep our doors open, pay our rent, and blah blah blah” Total BS!!!

Run fast from freeplay!

[Desire_Inspires]

I have no idea how anyone can look themselves in the mirror and feel good about themselves when they deliberately give away hundreds of cues to YOUTUBERS, AND pocket 100% of hundreds of license fees in the $25 to $499 range off the backs of writers.

Unfortunately, this happens a lot more often than you think.

[Author]

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