Universal Music Group has dropped its bid to have a video report criticizing rap star Akon removed from YouTube.
Commentator Michelle Malkin, founder of the conservative news Web site hotair.com, posted a video editorial slamming Akon’s antics with an underage female fan in Trinidad, which included several clips of Akon’s music and performances.
UMG had YouTube take down the clip, claiming it included its copyrighted content without permission in violation of the Digital Media Copyright Act.
The move resulted in an uproar over whether the DMCA should be used to stifle criticism, with both Malkin and the Electronic Frontier Foundation filing protesting to YouTube that the clips in the video amounted to fair use.
YouTube has again made the clip available.
