Google, Viacom resolve YouTube copyright lawsuit

Google Inc. and Viacom Inc. settled Viacom's lawsuit claiming YouTube violated copyrights by letting users post video clips from shows without authorization after a federal judge twice threw out the allegations.

Terms of the settlement were not disclosed, the companies said in a joint statement.

"This settlement reflects the growing collaborative dialogue between our two companies on important opportunities, and we look forward to working more closely together," the companies said in the statement.

Viacom originally sued in 2007, seeking $1 billion in damages and claiming that YouTube users were illegally uploading thousands of videos of Viacom TV shows, such as "South Park" and "The Daily Show With Jon Stewart," and movies from its Paramount Pictures film studio.

U.S. District Judge Louis Stanton ruled in 2010 in Mountain View, California-based Google's favor. In April 2012, the U.S. Court of Appeals in New York overturned that ruling and sent the case back to the district court. In April 2013, Google for a second time persuaded Stanton to throw out Viacom's lawsuit, and New York-based Viacom said at the time it would appeal the decision.