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US: VidAngel countersues Hollywood Studios with antitrust lawsuit

By  |  July 13, 2016

VidAngel, an online video service that allows consumers to watch major home-video releases in standard definition for $1, has filed a counter complaint against Hollywood studios who are seeking to shut them down.

Customers of VidAngel buy a movie online for $20, then have the option of setting filters to screen out objectionable content and watch the movie. The customer then sells back the movie for as much as $19.

VidAngel, however, contends that studios have violated the Sherman Antitrust Act by pressuring Google to withhold its Chromecast support services from VidAngel, which depends on streaming services to get access to its customers. Its counterclaim was filed on Tuesday in U.S. District Court in Los Angeles.

VidAngel claims that the Walt Disney Co., 20th Century Fox, Warner Bros. and Lucasfilm “have interfered with VidAngel’s attempts to partner with streaming content providers to filter movies.” They also claim that the studios have sought to “expand their copyright monopoly” by depriving consumers of the right to buy and sell copyrighted works.

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