There is a bit of a furor right now for the judge that ordered Google to hand over logging data, identifying usernames and ip addresses associated with video views.

I decided to take a look at the judge’s ruling, and there were some very interesting discoveries. Viacom asked for, in this order:

• The code that powers google.com to ensure that “defendants did not modify the search tool to more easily find infringing material.”
• The code that powers youtube.com, for the same reason
• As well they need the code to ensure that defendants did all that could be done to protect against infringement.
• The source code to the “Video ID” project, which compares incoming videos to “fingerprints” of videos provided by copyright holders. (Explanation a bit further on)
• Copies of all videos that were removed
• And finally, the IP Addresses and Usernames logging data associated with videos.

Take a look at that list. Viacom essentially fired a massive cannon at Google, asking for all their internal trade secrets, and as noted by the judge, they never promised they wouldn’t share those secrets. In addition, Viacom asked for the advertising database schema!

Pretty much, this ties in with what I said before about these broadcasts companies becoming scared of the many-to-many patterns we are seeing.

Viacom did whats called setting up the shot. They asked for extremely irrational things, low prices if you will, and if it had worked, they would have been extremely well off. Then, they sneak in a much less irrational request, one that Google’s lawyers fell for, which is what Viacom wanted all along. In comparison to the incredibly irrational requests, the logging data seemed eminently reasonable.

It was almost a win-win process, so long as Google fell for something or made a mistake. And they did.

Luckily the EFF are already reacting, citing the Video Privacy Act.

I sincerely Google provides the data in paper format.