(7 December 2006 10:00 pm)

MUMBAI: A Japanese entertainment group has asked video-sharing site YouTube to implement a system to prevent users from uploading videos that would infringe copyrights.

The Japan Society for Rights of Authors, Composers and Publishers media reports state has said that YouTube should proactively check if uploaded videos are copyrighted. They sent an email to Youtube's founders Chad Hurley and Steve Chen on this matter. The Japanese entertainment group was the one that had earlier requested YouTube take down 30,000 video clips that infringed on copyright.

Most videos posted on YouTube are homemade, but the site also features copyrighted material posted by individual users.

YouTube's policy has been to remove clips that infringe copyright after it receives complaints. The Hapanese group says that Youtube should warning in Japanese on the home page that reminds people of the civil and criminal penalties associated with copyright infringement. In addition media reports state that the group wants YouTube to maintain records of the names and addresses of people uploading video, and to terminate the accounts of users who upload illegal clips.