Take a closer look at the multi-part lawsuit between Kleins and UMG, one of the largest record companies in the world. Hila Klein, alleging that they were being threatened with copyright infringement if they made money off of videos talking about her music and song lyrics. The judge sides with the Klein’s, allowing them to sell merch on their YouTube channels.
What is a Copyright Lawsuit?
Copyright law is a legal system that protects the rights of authors, artists, and creatives by granting them exclusive rights to their creative works. When someone takes and uses copyrighted material without permission from the copyright holder, they may be liable for damages. In the case of Kleins v. YouTube, a copyright lawsuit was filed against YouTube by Jason Klein and his wife Isabelle Klein. The Kleins were originally requested to remove videos of their crochet project “Happy Go-Lucky Crochet” from YouTube, but they refused to do so. Consequently, YouTube filed a copyright lawsuit against the Kleins in August of 2012.
The Kleins won their case in February of 2014 after a court ruled that they may sell merchandise related to their crochet videos on YouTube as long as they are properly licensed. This ruling is significant because it allows people to make money off of their copyrighted material while still protecting the rights of the original authors.
Ethi and Hila Klein’s Start with Kleins’ YouTube Channel They Created
Klein siblings Ethi and Hila Klein win their lawsuit against the Disney-owned Maker Studios. The Kleins were awarded $3 million in damages, as well as the right to sell merchandise on their YouTube channel.
Klein v. Maker Studios was filed in February of this year and centered around copyright infringement over the use of images from the movie Phineas and Ferb. Maker Studios had used pictures from the show without permission for a number of videos without crediting the creators. After lobbying from the Klein brothers and their supporters, Maker Studios changed how it planned to monetize its channels, deciding to only permit licensed content to be sold through its channels.
The decision sets an important precedent for creators of video content on YouTube who often struggle to gain fair pay for their work. It is also interesting to note that while Disney was actively pushing for Maker Studios’ demise, Kleins have managed to profit from their own channel even while staying within Disney’s trademarked properties.
As YouTube becomes a more popular platform for creating and sharing videos, creators are starting to look into ways they can make money off of their work. Trademark infringement is one area where creators have traditionally suffered from few legal options
Vlogbrothers, Dreamworks and More as Defendants in the Lawsuit
In a significant victory for online video creators and fans, a US federal court has ruled that the owners of the copyright in the work of some vloggers and other amateur video bloggers may not prohibit them from selling merchandise related to their videos. The ruling comes after the plaintiffs in the case, including popular vlogging brothers John and Hank Green, filed a lawsuit against four large entertainment companies – Disney, Dreamworks Animation SKG, Intel Corporation and Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. – claiming that they had violated their copyrights by allowing their content to be used as part of fan merchandising. In its ruling, which is subject to appeal, the court found that each of the companies had been culpable in some way for permitting infringing conduct by their employees or contractors. However, it stated that it was unable to find any evidence that the defendants themselves had engaged in any wrongful conduct. This ruling is likely to significantly encourage other amateur creators to take legal action against those who they believe are illegally profiting from their work.
Plaintiff’s Lag In Attaining Evidence Was Not Started on Peer to Peer Networks
Kleins Win Copyright Lawsuit after Court Says They May Sell Merch on YouTube
After Kleins returned to YouTube to sell merchandise, they were informed by YouTube that they may not do so as the company does not have the proper licenses. Kleins filed a lawsuit against Google, alleging that their inability to sell merchandise was started on peer to peer networks and that Google never disabled those channels. The court ruled in Kleins favor, stating that although Google may have withheld authorization initially, the peer to peer networks played no role in the takedown of their merchandise.
