Basically, I want to create an archive of TV shows that are hosted on Google Video or Youtube. I will not host these on my own server or shall I actually be the one uploading them to youtube or Google video. So, I will not have any copyrighted files on my server, I will merely display them through my pages, via an embedded flash player. 2 Questions: - Is this legal? - If so, will my host object? (Dreamhost)
Well, whatever is hosted on youtube or google video becomes their properties. If they allow you to embed it which I am sure they do, you can do it. Just do not copy the content over to your site. If anyone comes to you about the legality of the content, you point it back to Youtube or Google. If they are taken down, you just remove it on your site. As to whether Dreamhost would object, the best people to ask would be Dreamhost itself.
Agree, your should ask people at Dreamhost. As for the copyrighted videos, there are companies that let you broadcaste their content if you adhere to their terms, i.e. online newspapers
Actually, I disagree with both of you respectfully. This is a complex question. The best place is to first check Google and YouTube to see what their terms of service is. Your flash player must comply with the use of their video and they do supply tags for insertion in external web pages. Whether or not you can do so in your flash player will be governed by their terms of service. I'm not going to discuss questions about whether the content appearing on each site may constitute copyright infringement and I'll assume it is legitimate. I assume that Dreamhost and any other would state that if these videos whose tags you embedded are not infringing, then you're fine. The Dreamhost TOS like any other good one probably says you cannot commit violations of law, e.g. infringement, or any other act that might engage the company in civil liability.
Oh wait, I think I missed the part that the movies are currently not uploaded and you want to upload them to google and youtube. Well, if that is the case, it would probably not be legal to do so without the prior approval by the copyright owners.
No, no. These are currently hosted on such sites, and I haven't uploaded them. Basically, I'm not going to upload or host any of the files, they will just be shown on my page.
Same answer. Most web hosts don't want to (1) have their resources seriously taxed beyond expectations, and (2) have their customers commit violations of law. For the most part these video links are like any other. They shouldn't tax the host because the media is being streamed from a third party. What is reason you are concerned about whether your host will allow this common activity?