Posts Tagged ‘amazon’

Justice Department questions Google if they are violating antitrust in regards of digitalizing world’s books into a database that is online.

This settlement between Google, Association of American Publishers, and the Authors Guild was made back in October. A fund of over one-hundred million would pay out the authors. Back in 2005, publishers and authors sued Google’s book scanning project, which had dealt with copyrighted books, and public domain.

Some say that Google has the right to monopoly the books for online access since the deal was done.

Earlier this month, the Department of Justice was called by a nonprofit group, to investigate Google and their plans to scan these books to the online database. Google was planning on scanning books that are copyrighted, but the person that holds the rights, can’t be found. They are known as “Orphan” books.

John Simpson, an advocate for the nonprofit group had sent a letter to the U.S. Attorney General, wanting the government to intervene with this settlement between Google and the Authors Guild and the Association of American Publishers stating that the settlement needed to be relooked at to see if it took the consumers interest or not. Simpson also stated in his letter that this settlement, that was done, protects Google, but there is no protection for others. Simpson describes it as a barrier for other competitors to join in on the digital book process.

The digitized book business has become competitive and on the rise in the market. Back in March Sony had announced it eBook domain free for readers.

With the legal people chatting with Google and the other businesses involved, we shall see soon what the investigation will bring forth.

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Amazon has urged a New York court to reject a deal that would allow Google to build a vast digital library.

The online retailer says that if Google is given exclusive rights to scan books for use on the internet, it is “likely to lead to a monopoly”.

Interested groups and authors have until 28 January to file objections to the project to a US court.

Google says the project will “unlock access to millions of books” and give authors new ways to distribute books.

Google Books aims to scan millions of books worldwide and make them available – and searchable – online.

It was first launched in 2004 but was put on hold a year later when the Authors Guild of America and Association of American Publishers sued over “massive copyright infringement”.

As a result, in 2008 Google agreed to pay $125m (£77m) to create a Book Rights Registry, where authors and publishers could register works and receive compensation.

A decision on whether the deal could go through was originally scheduled for early October.

‘Split opinion’

But, the presiding Judge sent the deal back to the drawing board after criticism and objections from around the world.

Groups have until 28 January to file objections to the revised settlement to a US court, which will decide whether to approve it. Authors have the same deadline to opt-out of the project.

A fairness hearing has then been set for 18 February.

In the run up to the deadline, industry and authors have once again started mounting pressure on Google.

If approved by the court, this settlement stands to unlock access to millions of books in the US while giving authors and publishers new ways to distribute their work Google spokesperson

Fantasy writer Ursula K Le Guin has asked for the US to be excluded from the project.

In an open letter to Judge Denny Chin, who will preside over the hearing, Ms Le Guin expresses concern about the “opt-out” clause in the settlement, which she says “disguises an assault on authors’ rights”.

It means that unless authors in certain countries specifically do not give their permission, their books will be scanned and eventually sold in digital form by Google Books, who will share a percentage of the revenue.

“Google, like any other publisher or entity, should be required to obtain permission from the owner to purchase or use copyrighted material, item by item,” she wrote.

Her letter has been signed by 365 other authors also concerned about the plan.

In addition, Ms Le Guin says that the National Writers Union, the American Society of Journalists and Authors and the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America are against the proposed settlement.

However not all authors oppose Google’s proposals. Amy Tan, Simon Winchester and the heir of John Steinbeck are among those who support the move.

“If approved by the court, this settlement stands to unlock access to millions of books in the US while giving authors and publishers new ways to distribute their work,” said a Google spokesperson.

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