YouTube and Copyright

In my post-conference haze I think I've noticed several articles/ news stories about the copyright issues now facing YouTube. They've been asked to remove a bunch of Japanese clips and will have to figure out a way to keep the hipness of the site going while making deals with copyright holders to provide materials that folks want to watch. Not that there's anything wrong with cute kitties or people singing "Happy Birthday" to me. Although I doubt we paid any royalties on that last one.

This article from the SF Chronicle gives a good overview of the issue.