17 
The Wall Street Journal points out an interesting trend: loads of illegally uploaded, full-length movies are finding their way on to YouTube, and studios are doing nothing about it.
And you know what? It’s right. A quick Google throws up full versions of The Three Faces of Eve, Misery, Battle Royale, The Illusionist… we could go on, but you can use a search engine by yourself.
The Journal suggests that most of these films are from Walt Disney, Columbia and Tristar studios, and — as of yet — they’re not doing anything about it. From the WSJ:
Why the movie studios didn’t block the films by using a special YouTube program-called Content ID-for identifying their copyrighted content is a mystery.
Google in late 2007 launched Content ID, which helps identify copyrighted material so content owners can block the content from appearing on the site altogether, or in certain geographical markets. Alternatively, content owners can choose to let YouTube sell online advertisements that appear next to or on top of the videos while they play.
Clearly, this isn’t a situation that will last for very long; those studios are bound to wise up sooner or later and pull that content. But in the meantime, you can probably find yourself a fine evening of free movie viewing on YouTube — if you don’t find the idea morally troubling. [WSJ]
Image by Pinkcandy/Shutterstock
My Parents watch full-length films on YT.
I would like to think that the studios are wise enough to know what’s going on and are allowing the movies to remain online to increase the public awareness of products that may no longer be profitable. Maybe they plan to take the movies down later once demand improves. Or maybe the studios themselves are the source of many of these movies and are using youtube money as an unofficial revenue stream for titles that no longer bring in the money and can’t be sold to Netflix or tv. But I suspect the truth is that the studios are just unaware and when they catch up will try to sue the pants off the uploaders, fail, and then try to sue Google.
I like the fact some old TV shows (Knightmare, Gamesmaster, Russell Brand’s Ponderland) find their way on on to YouTube uncontested. There’s no other way of watching these shows!
I watched Battle Royale many years ago and I think it was the Hunger Games that prompted me to have a look for some clips of it again a few months ago. Was surprised to find the whole thing on YT and actually watched it all. Great stuff.
Would be nice to have a list of such new films