The web 2.0 mini-boom (see chart from FT site) continues with Google's acquisition of YouTube for 1.65 billion dollars. How this will develop is anybody's guess. So much of YouTube's current content is in violation of copyright legislation, but removing it would arguably put a halt to the phenomenal growth of their user base. Deals have been made with Sony, CBS and Universal Music Group, but are Google going to remove all copyrighted material before further deals have been struck? And how many of those deals will it take to make the venue compelling and cheap enough to be funded solely by advertising?

Source: 'Copyright Problems Could Hinder New Partners' FT.com October 10, 2006.