YouTube Exec: We're Not Tougher Piracy Cops on Own Content

Google Director of Economic Policy Adam Cohen told a House Antitrust Subcommittee panel Tuesday (July 16) that his company takes steps to make sure its users' content is legitimate, whether it is video from a competitor or its own shows.

YouTube original "Cobra Kai"

YouTube original "Cobra Kai"

Rep. Mary Gay Scanlon (D-Pa.) said one concern raised around the issue of protecting online content was that if she were to Google a YouTube-original show, like Weird City, looking for a pirated version, no pirated version comes up, while if she Googles a Netflix show like Russian Doll, a "torrent" of different pirated versions "pop up."

She said there was a suggestion that YouTube was quick to take down pirated versions of its shows, but not others. 

"Congresswoman, I have not seen any evidence of a discrepancy," she said. "We take great steps to protect copyrighted material and to provide our customers legitimate means to reach legitimate licensed content."

He agreed to share any data YouTube came up with on possible discrepancies between platforms with Scanlon.

John Eggerton

Contributing editor John Eggerton has been an editor and/or writer on media regulation, legislation and policy for over four decades, including covering the FCC, FTC, Congress, the major media trade associations, and the federal courts. In addition to Multichannel News and Broadcasting + Cable, his work has appeared in Radio World, TV Technology, TV Fax, This Week in Consumer Electronics, Variety and the Encyclopedia Britannica.