Appeal Proceedings: YouTube-Blocking Messages Remain Illegal

Raue LLP has successfully represented the German collecting society GEMA in appeal proceedings regarding YouTube blocking messages. The Higher Regional Court of Munich (Oberlandesgericht München) has for the most part confirmed the judgement issued by the District Court of Munich (Landgericht München I) last year.

In February 2014, the District Court of Munich considered the YouTube blocking messages reading „Unfortunately, this video is not available in Germany because it may contain music for which GEMA has not granted the respective music rights,“ to constitute an act of unfair competition. According to the court’s judgement, they degrade GEMA in an unjustified way. The court observed that the wording incorrectly implied that GEMA had failed to grant music rights to YouTube without any reason. According to the court’s judgment, the blocking messages are incomplete and misleading as YouTube completely cuts out its own contribution to the blocking of the videos, namely their refusal to pay royalties according to the official GEMA tariff (Decision of 25 February 2014, Case No. 1 HK O 1401/13).

GEMA and YouTube have been negotiating the conditions for YouTube’s use of GEMA-licensed music in their video clips for years. In this context, the YouTube blocking messages have caused resentments by users against GEMA. According to the Disctrict Court of Munich, GEMA no longer needs to accept this.