Google and Viacom have reached a deal to protect the personal details of millions of YouTube viewers while evidence is collected for a legal case.
Google, which owns YouTube, had been ordered to hand over YouTube user data to Viacom to help it prepare its case on alleged copyright infringement.
Google will now hand over the database but without the username and IP data that could identify users.
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The decision will be welcomed by privacy activists, many of whom expressed concern over a US judge's order for Google to provide the data in early July.
They had said that the order was in breach of a 1988 Video Privacy Protection Act, which was passed after the rental habits of a Supreme Court nominee were publicised.
Continuing battle
YouTube, which was bought by Google in 2006, is in battle with Viacom, which owns MTV and Paramount Pictures, over alleged copyright infringement.
Viacom, which initiated legal action in March 2007, alleges several clips from its productions have been viewed on YouTube without its consent.
It said it had identified about 160,000 unauthorised clips of its programmes on the website, which had been viewed more than 1.5 billion times.
Viacom has said it wants the data to "compare the attractiveness of allegedly infringing video with that of non-infringing videos".
Meanwhile the English Premier League is seeking class action status with Viacom, alleging viewers have used YouTube to watch football highlights.
An earlier Viacom request that Google be forced to hand over the source code of YouTube has already been denied by a US court on the grounds it is a "trade secret".
Despite Tuesday's agreement, the companies are yet to agree the process of information disclosure regarding YouTube viewership by employees of YouTube and Google. This is expected to be settled in the coming weeks.
The cases are expected to come to trial in 2009 or 2010.
(BBC)
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