YouTube--The Next Generation of Infringing on Creative Works: What Can Be Done to Protect the Screenwriters?

The article examines the significance of the current state of copyright law in the U.S., under various sections of the Copyright Act, to people who upload their creative works to the YouTube Web site, as of March 2009. Creators of original movie clips should register their works with the Copyright Office first before uploading them to provide the owners with prima facie evidence of a valid copyright in a lawsuit against a production company. In a copyright infringement case, the plaintiff should show ownership of a valid copyright and unauthorized copying by the defendant.