Video & The Law

Legal Video Guide – Learn tips for important legal issues with online video for commercial use. Here we offer news and insights into copyright infringement, fair use, trademark, right of publicity, right of privacy, defamation, trade secrets, waivers and releases – and how all of this relates to web video and digital media. Here you will find trends, tips, and insights with real attorneys and legal professionals in internet and new media law, intellectual property law, entertainment law.

New Netflix Competitor, Zediva, Brings Unique Twist To DVD "Rental"

There's a new Netflix in town, and it's called Zediva. After a year in beta, the service is now live to the public. DVD rentals are only $1 each in many cases (though some cost more) and Zediva can deliver movies as soon as the ...

Is Being Stupid on YouTube Now a Crime? Evan Emory Pleas "No Contest"

Evan Emory may soon hold the distinction of being America's first "YouTube criminal." Yesterday in a Michigan court in Muskegon county he pleaded "no contest" to a reduced felony charge of "unlawful posting of an internet message with aggravating circumstances" – a plea deal to ...

Learn About Entertainment Law Issues with Television, Video and UGC - Live Webcast & Conference

Attention all you serious video marketers and producers! The Practising Law Institute is holding a 3-day conference March 14-16th, Counseling Clients in the Entertainment Industry 2011, which will be covering the important legal issues that you need to know that affecting the video marketplace and ...

YouTube Search Marketing and Legal Tips Galore at SMX West

I will be presenting at the Search Marketing Expo – SMX West Conference, being held at the San Jose Convention Center from March 8-10. I will be on the panel, "New Tools & Techniques For YouTube Success," Wednesday March 9th from 3:30 pm – 4:45 ...

Does The Recent YouTube Case Indicate A Need for New Criminal Law?

I interviewed Amy Adler, New York University law professor and researcher on First Amendment Law, Pornography and Art, and Feminism Jurisprudence; and get her own opinion on the Evan Emory criminal case over a YouTube video. I asked Amy, can a coherent legal argument be ...

Are YouTube Performers Being Unjustly Criminally Prosecuted?

Criminal trial attorney and former prosecutor David T. Schlendorf gives an exclusive interview to ReelSEO on the criminal case of Evan Emory, the 21-year old West Michigan college student being tried in court with manufacturing child abusive material and posting it on YouTube. Schlendorf said ...

YouTube Legal Issues: Evan Emory "Officially" Charged Today with Criminal Sexual Abuse

Today the Muskegon County Prosecutor's Office in Michigan formally charged 21-year old Evan Emory with one felony count of "child abuse as a commercial activity." His crime: Posting a dubbed video of himself staging a sexually explicit song performance to first graders, and posting the ...

YouTube Legal Issues: The Criminal Case of Evan Emory Part 2

I interviewed Ravenna Schools Superintendent Jon VanLoon about the criminal case of former student and infamous YouTube personality, Evan Emory. VanLoon shared with me what really happened between Emory and the school kids he recorded for his now-infamous YouTube video, which has resulted in formal ...

You Accused? The YouTube Saga and Criminal Case of Evan Emory (Part 1)

I interviewed Terry J. Nolan, the criminal defense attorney representing Evan Emory – who is the young adult arrested, jailed, and arraigned in a Michigan court in Muskegon County on child pornography charges for dubbing footage of grade school kids into a video intended for ...

The Latest YouTube Legal Issue Seems Horribly Overblown

By now you've probably heard of Evan Emory. He's the 21-year-old Michigan man that now faces 20 years in prison for a simple YouTube prank that has been blown way out of proportion. After Emory completed a harmless musical performance before an elementary school classroom, ...

Who Owns Your YouTube Video? You, YouTube, or Someone Else Entirely?

When you upload a video to YouTube, who actually owns that video? Do you give your rights away to YouTube, or do you still retain copyright ownership? The short answer to that is: "It depends - there is a difference between ownership vs. licensing." For ...

3 Basic Legal Tips for Any Business Doing Online Video

What type of content might you have in your video that you're getting from some one else? In this video interview I did for Web Marketing Today, I explain some very basic legal issues with online video, including rights and permissions that every business needs ...

Can You Make Money From Posting Video of Other's Misfortune? Fountain Lady Fights Back

Some of you may have seen the recent YouTube clip last week of a woman falling right into a fountain at a mall while texting (now dubbed "The Fountain Lady"); which has millions of views, many duplicates, and with both YouTube and some partner channels ...

15 YouTube Copyright Tips for Content Creators & Marketers

We asked 2 respected cyber-attorneys what they would recommend for video content creators in terms of protecting their own copyrighted assets on YouTube, and what guidelines other users can follow in using "fair-use" rights content. Know your rights and responsibilities.

EU Opens Antitrust Case Against Google, Gives Me Comic Material

The European Union believes that Google has been up to some underhanded and generally illegal business practices in its SEO and paid search practices. I thought that since I'm in the EU, I might be able to shed some light on that. Really, I just ...