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PUBLISHERS SUE GOOGLE OVER BOOK SEARCH PROJECT
CNET News ^ | 19 October 2006 | Alorie Gilbert

Posted on 10/15/2006 8:27:38 PM PDT by MeneMeneTekelUpharsin

The Association of American Publishers has filed a lawsuit against Google, alleging the Internet company's plans to scan and digitally distribute the text of major library collections would violate copyright protections. The group filed suit after lengthy discussions with Google's management about the company's Print Library Project broke down, the AAP said on Wednesday. As part of the project, Google is working to scan all or parts of the book collections of the University of Michigan, Harvard University, Stanford University, the New York Public Library and Oxford University. It plans to let people search the texts. The company also intends to sell advertisements related to such searches.

"The publishing industry is united behind this lawsuit against Google and united in the fight to defend their rights," AAP President and former Colorado Congresswoman Patricia Schroeder said in a statement. "While authors and publishers know how useful Google's search engine can be and think the Print Library could be an excellent resource, the bottom line is that under its current plan, Google is seeking to make millions of dollars by freeloading on the talent and property of authors and publishers." The AAP suit follows a similar action by the Authors Guild, which sued Google last month over the library project. Other groups, including the Association of American University Presses, have also criticized the book-scanning plan. Google has defended itself, saying the project is fully consistent with the fair-use doctrine under U.S. copyright law, which allows for excerpts in book reviews. The company said in August, however, that it would temporarily halt the project to respond to concerns. It plans to resume the project on Nov. 1, AAP said.

The AAP suit seeks a declaration by the court that Google commits infringement when it scans entire books covered by copyright and a court order preventing Google from doing so without permission from copyright owners. The group filed the suit on behalf of McGraw-Hill, Pearson Education, Penguin Group, Simon & Schuster, and John Wiley & Sons. "Google Print is a historic effort to make millions of books easier for people to find and buy. Creating an easy-to-use index of books is fair use under copyright law and supports the purpose of copyright: to increase the awareness and sales of books directly benefiting copyright holders," said David Drummond, Google's vice president of corporate development and general counsel. "This short-sighted attempt to block Google Print works counter to the interests of not just the world's readers, but also the world's authors and publishers."


TOPICS: News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: copyright; google; infringement; youtube
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To: FreedomCalls
Isn't it already settled case law that anyone can create an index to a copyrighted book and sell it without royalty payments to the publisher?

Quoting source material is also permitted, as well as doing research using someone elses' work. Charging for that service is an established fact on the market right now, so the 'crime' that Google is charged with - making money off of someone eles's copyrighted work is already part of industry standards.

The AAP should have simply settled for a horizon for publication; a horizon that was reasonable and in line with historical copyright law. The inflated concepts from Congress grossly violates the constitution and the SCOTUS will slam it down if it ends up on their docket.
21 posted on 10/15/2006 9:24:15 PM PDT by kingu (No, I don't use sarcasm tags - it confuses people.)
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To: MeneMeneTekelUpharsin
"anything on the internet is free, or, people have to follow copyright laws."

Not "or".

And.

So we see the obvious conflict here....

22 posted on 10/15/2006 9:28:39 PM PDT by SteveMcKing
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To: Physicist
My understanding is that the searches aren't going to retrieve the full text of the work.

That is correct. Here is an example of a search for the word "billions" from Cosmos by Carl Sagan using the very similar service from Amazon.


23 posted on 10/15/2006 9:30:42 PM PDT by FreedomCalls (It's the "Statue of Liberty," not the "Statue of Security.")
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To: MeneMeneTekelUpharsin

AFAIAC (as far as I am concerned) ANY book that is a required reference for ANY course in ANY educational course from elementary to doctoral SHOULD be available free online.

Aren't the authors simply in the game to further knowledge, or are they mercenaries?

/sarc


24 posted on 10/15/2006 9:47:08 PM PDT by Don W (Stoneage man survived thousands of years of bitter-cold ice. Modern man WILLsurvive global warming.)
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To: Physicist
Usurped, how? They aren't distributing the contents of the works, simply returning search results. It's nothing a librarian couldn't in principle do over the phone; it's just faster and more efficient.

The question is one of permission. The publishers want Google to at least ask permission before scanning and uploading their intellectual property--and having the right to refuse and opt out. Google doesn't want to be bothered with that.

I think Google will lose this case, personally.
25 posted on 10/15/2006 9:52:02 PM PDT by Antoninus (Ruin a Democrat's day...help re-elect Rick Santorum.)
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To: MeneMeneTekelUpharsin

You're right - this is interesting to watch.

I have no dog in this fight in any real way. I am concerned about people not being compensated for their real work. However, I can't see any real way that distribution over the internet is going to be possible to halt, in the end. It really seems inevitable to me.


26 posted on 10/15/2006 10:07:29 PM PDT by AFPhys ((.Praying for President Bush, our troops, their families, and all my American neighbors..))
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To: Cacique

bump


27 posted on 10/15/2006 10:57:37 PM PDT by Cacique (quos Deus vult perdere, prius dementat ( Islamia Delenda Est ))
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To: Paleo Conservative
Did Patricia Schroeder start crying in the middle of saying that?

:::sigh::: I'd forgotten Patsy Schroeder existed. I'll take a moment to savor that.

28 posted on 10/15/2006 11:07:01 PM PDT by Dianna
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To: HuntsvilleTxVeteran

If anyone here wants to read some old classics, try the Gutenberg Project.

They have thousands of out of copyright books, including some pretty obscure things - everything from the Memoirs of Lafayette to Buddist Psalms to the Five Little Peppers. I keep it on my desktop.

http://www.gutenberg.org/wiki/Main_Page


29 posted on 10/15/2006 11:24:40 PM PDT by I still care ("Remember... for it is the doom of men that they forget" - Merlin, from Excalibur)
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To: MeneMeneTekelUpharsin
I am wondering if someone can provide some reliable information as to what Google is facing with this? I can't believe they have bought this liability.

Google/YouTube is seeking licensing from broadcasters to allow showing copyrighted material. Supposedly many of these agreements have already been locked up.

30 posted on 10/15/2006 11:39:20 PM PDT by BigBobber
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To: I still care
Thank you book marked.
31 posted on 10/16/2006 3:50:01 AM PDT by HuntsvilleTxVeteran ("Remember the Alamo, Goliad and WACO, It is Time for a new San Jacinto")
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To: AFPhys
I am concerned about people not being compensated for their real work. However, I can't see any real way that distribution over the internet is going to be possible to halt, in the end. It really seems inevitable to me.

Was doing research to help my wife write a valid paper for college class. Couldn't believe all of the websites offering to write a paper for a fee. What a racket.

32 posted on 10/16/2006 4:52:58 AM PDT by MeneMeneTekelUpharsin (Freedom is the freedom to discipline yourself so others don't have to do it for you.)
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