The National Music Publishers Association (NMPA), which represents many major music publishers, has added itself to the growing list of plaintiffs unhappy about YouTube’s apparent lack of action over copyright violation.

Whilst four of the major music industry record labels have cut a deal with YouTube – they let the video-sharing site run with their music in exchange for advertising revenue – there are plenty of music publishers who haven’t.

But it seems now those publishers, represented by the NMPA, want to stand up and be counted.

Losing Faith in New Digital Fingerprint Technology

It’s apparent some media companies are becoming suspect about Google’s (YouTube’s owners) talk of an imminent digital fingerprinting technology that will resolve copyright problems. There are suggestions it’s simply a stalling tactic to attract more users to YouTube under the pretense that lots of the cool copyright infringing content may soon be unavailable.

A Japanese consortium of entertainment executives expressed similar sentiments earlier this month, as reported on Web TV Wire.

A lawyer representing the plaintiffs said of Google’s comments about the new technology:

Their statement has no credibility, because I don’t think it’s their business model.

The lawsuit is still seeking class action status. It was originally filed in May in the US. Other plaintiffs include the Football Association Premier League Ltd and New York independent music publisher Bourne Co.

[Via The Wall Street Journal Online]

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