• by Staff Writers , November 1, 2007

A sure sign of Web 2.0 maturing is the emergence of a new generation of online rivalries. Think Google vs. Viacom, NBC Universal vs. Apple and iVillage vs. Glam Media. Some squabbles are bigger than others, some nastier, but turf battles are breaking out all over the digital landscape. Here, then, a handy fight card for the Web version of the WWF:

Viacom vs. Google Dispute: Viacom accuses Google of massive copyright infringement involving more than 100,000 video clips uploaded to YouTube from shows such as "The Colbert Report" and "The Daily Show." At stake: More than $1 billion in damages and the future of copyright law as applied to online video. Arena: U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York. Tactics: Litigation.

NBC Universal vs. Apple Inc. Dispute: NBC dumps iTunes for Amazon.com, claiming Apple underprices digital downloads at $1.99 each to sell more iPods, iPhones and Apple TVs. At stake: Future business models for digital downloads. Arena: The online marketplace. Tactics: Cut and run.

iVillage vs. Glam Media Dispute: Upstart Glam Media kicked up a cat fight earlier this year when it launched a media campaign telling advertisers it had overtaken iVillage as the No. 1 Web site for women based on comScore Media Metrix rankings. iVillage president Deborah Fine responded by describing Glam as "a synthetic network of over 300 different sites." At stake: The right to be called the top-rated women's Web property. Arena: The media. Glam placed full- and quarter-page ads in The New York Times, while iVillage ran its own full-page ad there. Tactics: Dueling ads.

Heavy vs. Takkle Dispute: After staff defections from lad entertainment site Heavy to high school sports site Takkle, Heavy CEO Simon Assaad accused Takkle of copying Heavy's site design. At stake: Heavy's ability to stop the conga line to Takkle. Arena: Behind the scenes. Tactics: Vindictive comments on Silicon Alley Insider and internal Heavy e-mail.