Google’s YouTube service may be the leader in providing video content, but Facebook is rapidly trying to keep up by introducing videos to its service, including the option to auto-play certain clips within user’s feeds. Unfortunately, this is creating a number of problems, from many angles.

According to a Facebook spokesperson, “twice as many people now watch videos on Facebook compared to just six months ago,” as part of the company’s new business strategy to bring in a new audience. That explains the recent upswing in content. However, the effects haven’t always been positive.

Several users have found loopholes that allow the uploading of content directly to Facebook, even videos that have been lifted from YouTube. This hurts a number of people, including the creators of said video. One person who posted a “cute cat video” saw their content being shared by country music station 97.7 Mustang FM, professional workout star James Ellis and actor Tyrese Gibson – all without obtaining permission from the original owner.

As a result, the original poster loses out on profits, while the video continues to gain popularity under a number of other sources.

Meanwhile, Ellis has been getting a fair amount of attention on his Facebook page, posting more than 50 viral videos. However, not everyone is pleased about seeing him in action, as a number of complaints from Facebook users have forced him to add attributions to each of his downloads.

With Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA) rules in place for the Internet, most of the time, the law provides protection for those who post content. However, in Facebook’s case, the original content poster must be the one to request the takedown of said videos. Otherwise, the site has no real obligation to remove it, and whoever posted continues to profit with views and likes.

Facebook’s video posting system also doesn’t provide a search option, and as a result, some videos can garner thousands of views before anyone even realizes it’s stolen. Case in point: someone posted the full ending to the hit Marvel film Guardians of the Galaxy, complete with a surprise post-credits reveal, and the studio didn’t even notice until several days in.

It’ll be interesting to see what Facebook does to justify its video service in the months ahead, but chances are it could just be business as usual, unless possible legal situations rise up.

Source: Mashable