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Apps Is embedding videos from third parties copyright infringement?

K

koningklost

Lurker
I'm currently working on a Android App that is supposed to stream a certain TV show using embedded videos. These videos are available for everyone on video sharing websites (such as Dailymotion etc.), but may contain copyrighted material.

There is a new law in Europe that says embedding/framing copyrighted content videos from third parties, is not copyright infringement. (source: Torrentfreak, European Court of Justice).

Now my question is; IF I would like to publish this app on the Google Play store when it is finished, will Google Play delete my app anyways due to copyright infringement? This shouldn't be possible right?

I hope that there are some guys out there that may have experienced such thing and can give me some advice about publishing this app.

Thanks!
 
It would not count as copyright infringement (so long as your app does not cache any of the video), only the site hosting the content (in your case Dailymotion) can be charged with it. However, Google Play has a habit for deleting apps that offer similar services when they grow larger like PopCornTime did. Even though you wouldn't have an actual legal problems, I would still worry about the legal threats you could get in the future that may rack up a large chunk of cash in court fees.
 
The US takes a very dim view of using the old pass-through trick on copyrighted media.

Not long ago they grabbed one guy who wouldn't quit and gave him 5 years in a Federal penitentiary to set an example.

Google is not going to be complicit in any of that and sooner or later your app will come down.

We allow all manner of free space for devs to announce their new apps but we're a US site. Admin and staff hate copyright infringement on moral grounds but either way - we won't allow your app here because failure to comply with US copyright laws could very easily get us shut down by the government.

I'm not a lawyer but it seems like the US and the EU get pretty close on this whole situation.

Hope this helps.
 
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