Grammy Winner Denied Class Status in YouTube Content ID Case

Grammy award-winning composer Maria Schneider failed to obtain class status in her lawsuit alleging that YouTube’s Content ID system, which polices piracy on the platform, is only available for “powerful” copyright owners and inaccessible to ordinary users.

US District Judge James Donato ruled that Schneider’s copyright claims against the video sharing platform owned by Alphabet Inc. will “require highly individualized inquires” that aren’t suitable for a class of similar plaintiffs.

The fact-specific nature of most copyright disputes underscores “the challenges that plaintiffs face in seeking to obtain class certification,” the judge wrote on Monday for the US District Court for ...