▁had ▁file d ▁a ▁$ 1   b ill ion ▁law suit ▁against ▁YouTube ▁for ▁copy right ▁in fr ing ement . ▁Technology ▁evangel ist ▁Don ▁D odge ▁suggested ▁that ▁the ▁awards ▁were ▁an ▁attempt ▁by ▁YouTube ▁to ▁highlight ▁content ▁on ▁their ▁website ▁that ▁did ▁not ▁viol ate ▁copy right s ▁before ▁the ▁case ▁went ▁to ▁trial . ▁D odge ▁explained ▁that ▁he ▁had ▁been ▁part ▁of ▁a ▁similar ▁program ▁whilst ▁at ▁Nap ster , ▁and ▁that ▁the ▁awards ▁might ▁demonstrate ▁to ▁the ▁courts ▁that ▁there ▁was ▁substantial ▁non - in fr ing ing ▁use ▁of ▁the ▁website . ▁C ash more ▁agreed ▁with ▁D odge ' s ▁assess ment , ▁pointing ▁out ▁that ▁the ▁awards ▁were ▁months ▁too ▁late , ▁had ▁no ▁spons or , ▁and ▁were ▁concluded ▁within ▁a ▁week . ▁Writing ▁for ▁The ▁Washington ▁Post , ▁J ake ▁Co yle ▁similarly ▁described ▁the ▁awards ▁as ▁" a ▁quick , ▁hast y ▁process ". ▁▁ 2 0 0 8 ▁Awards ▁The ▁YouTube ▁Awards ▁returned ▁the ▁following ▁year ▁to ▁recognize ▁the ▁best ▁videos ▁of ▁ 2 0 0 7 , ▁and ▁were ▁announced ▁via ▁a ▁post ▁on ▁YouTube ' s ▁official ▁blog ▁on ▁March ▁ 1 3 , ▁ 2 0 0 8 . ▁As ▁with ▁the ▁previous ▁year , ▁short lists ▁were ▁compiled ▁by ▁YouTube ' s ▁staff , ▁based ▁on ▁the ▁number ▁of ▁views ▁and ▁general ▁bu zz ▁– ▁in ▁total , ▁the ▁nominated ▁videos ▁had ▁a ▁combined ▁view ▁count ▁of ▁nearly ▁a ▁quarter ▁of ▁a ▁billion . ▁For ▁the