Google vexed by French again
Google Video carried the film The World According To Bush, and the French producers behind the movie want compensation for the viewing and downloading of the movie that has taken place.
Flach Film has sued in a French court and requested compensation for the unwanted exposure on Google:
“Flach Film requests the court to sentence Google to provide compensation for the loss resulting from these illegal acts,” Flach said, adding that it alleged Google had “not acted as a simple host but as a fully responsible publisher.”
Jean-Francois Lepetit, producer of the film, told Reuters on Thursday that Google had cut the web links to the film after being notified of Flach’s legal action.
“We made estimates of the prejudice and its goes well beyond 500,000 euros ($US648,700). The film has been downloaded about 50,000 times and it has certainly been copied afterwards,” Lepetit said in a telephone interview.
Google has set aside $224 million of its YouTube purchase price to fend off such actions. Looks like Eric Schmidt could have to write a check to the French producers of the French film at the behest of a French court if the decision goes in favor of Flach Films for their America-bashing flick.
But that hasn’t been decided yet.
David Utter, Staff Writer, WebProNews
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