SEW digs up more (probably) infringing video files that made it through the rigorous (or nonexistent?) Google Video upload screening process. I finally got around to trying my hand at the exercise to see how difficult it is. Not difficult. A few results of my copyright prowling:

Even Stephen segment from The Daily Show
Outkast video: "Bombs Over Baghdad"
Mash-up of clips from a "Star Trek: Generations"
...maybe not infringing, but definitely entertaining.
Segment from MadTV: Interview with George Lucas

So what's up with this? None of these would be hard to identify. Is Google screening, or not? Not that I object, in principle, to the presence of these items. The whole mess underlines the futility of attempting to control recorded works in the on-demand era, and the ridiculousness of Google Video as currently incarnated. The service is mostly filled with closed-caption TV transcripts, the inexplicability I have railed about before, and the unauthorized content represents the best stuff in the site. So the more Google cracks down, perversely, the less attractive will be Google Video. Until, that is, Google strikes some deals with broadcasters and production companies. Blinkx seems to be doing it—albeit by linking to source sites. Google is using the inline Google Video Viewer, which complicates the licensing. Still, complexities or no complexities, Google Video cuts a ridiculous profile in this field.