YouTube has struck a deal with media content firm Viacom to
protect the identities of its users when handing over their entire
video viewing records following a court judgement.
Earlier this month, YouTube was ordered to hand over the viewing
records of its users in the latest stage of a
copyright battle between YouTube and Viacom.
The data was expected to include the log-in identities and IP
addresses of all YouTube users, including non-members of the
site.
The data hand over had alarmed privacy campaigners.
Viacom says its content copyright has been violated by YouTube
and it wants the viewing records to build its case for £500m in
damages. A US court ordered the hand over.
YouTube has now struck a deal with Viacom to hand over the
records, but without the personal information that could be used to
identify individual users.
The data will now be supplied without log-in names and IP
addresses. Individual users along with their viewing records will
now be listed using numbers or alternative anonymous data.