Three Russian television channels have filed complaints against Yandex aiming to block illegal copies of four serials. All three complaints require Yandex to “cease creation of technical conditions causing providing of illegal copies of audiovisual works in question in search results”. The complaints also seek 10 thousands Roubles as compensation for infringement of exclusive rights. Yandex is not agreed with position of TV channels and intends to oppose requirement to block referrals to pirate copies in search results.
Yandex believes such requirement is unreasonable and inconsistent with current Russian law. The media holding, the owner of these television channels, hopes to settle with Yandex and negotiates all conditions. But Yandex also has opposed in court the requirement to block Yandex.Video. The complaints also has been filed against Russian internet watchdog – Roskomnadzor – with similar requirement: to cease creation of technical conditions causing providing of illegal copies of AV works in search results.
Roskomnadzor did not find “any reasons to block Yandex.Video”. According to Roskomandzor, its specialists carried out inspection. This inspection revealed “absence of reasons to restrict access” Yandex’s services so far. Yandex has deleted some links to web-sites with illegal copies of audiovisual works in question despite its position. Yandex also has filed motion to involve companies Mail.ru Group and Rutube as third persons.
The owner of TV channels said that Yandex ignored its proposition to join memorandum on fight with piracy, and “if Yandex continue delay with this process (join memorandum) justifying it with search of technical decisions, such delay would make us to rise the tide of copyright infringement lawsuits in relation to other our projects. And I believe the other right holders would follow us with similar lawsuits,”- said CEO of Gazprom Media.
The Gazprom Media also said that “it does not see the participation in process of Rutube company, because our content is legally placed on this service, and if any illegal copies emerge on it, the service delete them promptly”. The filed lawsuits against Yandex are the three separate cases, despite the fact that they have one similar subject in common. The court did not merge these cases, perhaps yet.
The Russian authorities remarked the “Yandex copyright case”. This case makes authorities “concerned”. It was noticed that the Russian antipiracy law is to be improved. This year all necessary documents are to be introduced to the Russian state duma. These documents should determine the rights of stakeholder more clearly. The work on these documents is carrying out together with Russian Antitrust Service, Russian ministry of economic and business.