Bipartisan, Bicameral Group Asks Google to Expand Access to IP Infringement Tool

Google should expand Content ID, YouTube’s copyright infringement tool, to more content creators, a bipartisan, bicameral group of lawmakers wrote CEO Sundar Pichai Wednesday. Sens. Marsha Blackburn, R-Tenn.; Thom Tillis, R-N.C.; Chris Coons, D-Del.; and Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., signed with Reps. Jerry Nadler, D-N.Y.; Doug Collins, R-Ga.; Adam Schiff, D-Calif.; and Martha Roby, R-Ala. They noted “access to the Content ID system is only granted to companies that ‘own exclusive rights to a substantial body of original material that is frequently uploaded by the YouTube user community,’” raising concern that smaller copyright holders lack access. Google didn’t comment.