Earlier this month, we reported that Viacom ordered Google to turn over YouTube records. Google will now have to give Viacom the records, but in a compromise, without data that will identify users, according to BBC News.
Many people are now breathing sighs of relief. But others think that this is Google trying to forge for itself a victory that was already assured and think it was just a public relations play:
But: (1) Viacom is still getting the data it wanted. (2) While Google will anonymize user names and IP addresses of YouTube users, Viacom has has said it never wanted the identities of YouTube users anyway. So it's just Google PR that claims victory. Hoorah!
Some people think that the way Google played this card is "sickening."
There really have been no opposing statements--they think this was the motive of Google all along.
As an aside, Danny Sullivan writes at Search Engine Land that anonymizing the data in Google's suggested way may still lead Viacom to actual video watchers based on personalized behavior. What comes to mind? Thelma Arnold.
Forum discussion continues at WebmasterWorld.
