Google, Viacom settle $1bn copyright lawsuit against YouTube

Google and Viacom have agreed to settle a seven-year-old lawsuit against YouTube.

Viacom had accused YouTube of allowing its users to upload copyrighted content like films and television shows.

According to the Verge, YouTube had twice before won the case after Viacom failed to prove it had knowledge of what its users were uploading.

The case revolves around the Digital Millenium Copyright Act and its 'Safe Harbor' provision.

In a joint statement, Viacom and Google announced the end of a prolonged one billion dollars copyright lawsuit that had centered on unauthorized videos uploaded to YouTube.