As Google, Inc. continues to forge new territory on the Web and stretch existing law, the company keeps getting sued. Currently, litigation over copyright violation, trademark infringement and its method of ranking Web sites loom over the Web giant, which has created new demand for lawyers specializing in Internet law. With its deep pockets and narrow focus on creating new technologies, Google is a big target for lawsuits worldwide. Now, with its $1.65 billion acquisition of YouTube, which some critics have described as a litigation-laden landmine, Google can expect even more lawsuits. It's already inherited one: Robert Tur, who …

The Digital Millennium Copyright Act May shield YouTube from being sued when its users post copyrighted content on its site--provided that YouTube takes it down when flagged. But the law doesn't protect those users who upload copyrighted content. Consider the many lawsuits doled out by Recording Industry Association of America and most recently, Universal Music Group; content owners can go after individual users who break copyright law on YouTube. Given that YouTube built its business on letting users upload whatever video content they like, it might not be the smartest move for YouTube to encourage copyright owners to …

Last night, Google unveiled a mashup--a layer of data placed on top of the Google Earth mapping program, with information about the crucial U.S. congressional races coming in the next two weeks. The country's 436 congressional districts will now be highlighted with stars on Google's popular 3D map of the country. Clicking on a star pops open a bubble window that has information on the candidates in that particular race. The window includes links to news, images, polling info and Web search results on each candidate, as well as information on where and how to vote. The mid-term elections …

Time Warner unit AOL's ad sales will likely shrink for the next two years as it gives away services to win more users and attract advertising, said CEO Jonathan Miller in an interview with German newspaper Die Welt. "But it's about profitability for us in this phase," he said, referring to restructuring measures recently implemented by the company that would shift its core business from subscription revenue to ad sales. "In the past, we invested a lot of money in the infrastructure for the access business and in winning customers. That's over now. Later, sales should rise again," Miller …

You've heard this before: The browser is the new operating system. Netscape founder Mark Andreessen was famously squashed by Bill Gates and his desktop application empire after making such bold statements 10 years ago. But now, Web-based apps from Google and others are making Andreessen sound like a man ahead of his time. A browser change is underway, writes Om Malik of Business 2.0: "After puttering along for a decade, browser technology is about to undergo a major upgrade, which could once again make the browser the center of the Web action. The biggest change: Soon you'll be …

Some media-industry pundits believe it's only a matter of time before the copyright-infringement suits against Google and its new subsidiary, YouTube, start pouring in, but MarketWatch thinks big media, at least, will stay away from litigation, noting: "Media companies will be hard-pressed to find the nerve or the incentive to sue Google for its new subsidiary YouTube." Instead, they'll likely secure distribution deals with the search giant--just as three of the four major record companies have already managed to do. In fact, media rivals NBC Universal, News Corp., and Viacom have all banded together to explore the legal …

Sony's next-generation console, the PlayStation 3, launches in about a month--and this time around, the electronics giant is banking on its Web strategy as a crucial revenue driver, since manufacturing the console has proven to be more costly than the company planned. Unlike Microsoft's Xbox 360, which offers a limited online offering for free, The PlayStation Network lets PS3 owners play other gamers and chat for free. Downloadable games and other extras will also be sold over the network. Most analysts believe the new set of Web-enabled consoles will encourage advertisers to spend more money on video games. …

While big media in the U.S. considers the next steps it should take in partnering with YouTube, Google's newly acquired video asset, a consortium of media companies in Japan has demanded that the viral site remove some 30,000 video files containing copyrighted content. The Japan Society for Rights of Authors, Composers and Publishers found that 29,549 files, from video clips to TV programs, music videos and movies, were posted on YouTube's site without permission. The group, acting on behalf of 23 Japanese TV stations, music and movie companies, has been monitoring the illegal use of copyrighted content on …

Nielsen Media Research on Wednesday announced its long-awaited electronic rating service for video games. It will compile the usage and demographic information using the same sample of 10,000 U.S. households it uses for its television ratings. Advertisers have been clamoring for a rating service for video games for years. As the next level of console gaming moves online, advertisers have become particularly keen on interactive ad buys in games, including integrated product placements and two-dimensional in-game billboards and banners. Theoretically, Nielsen's new product will provide them with the neutral data they need to negotiate these deals rather than relying …

YouTube a verb? Google is a much more logical-sounding verb than YouTube. Somehow "YouTube it!" just doesn't sound right. As a past tense verb, YouTube sounds a little better: "I YouTubed it." Perhaps it's even better as an adjective; some are calling this midterm election the first "YouTube election," because of the videos showing politicians saying dicey things or falling asleep at their desks during meetings. Still, becoming a verb or an adjective is a big-time measure of a company's success. It actively refers to something people can understand, and makes a brand name ubiquitous. It's about as good a …