From Reuters:
The German book trade slammed European regulators on Thursday for failing to take a stand against an agreement allowing U.S. internet company Google (GOOG.O) to create an online library.
Google has agreed a settlement with U.S. publishers who had accused Google of copyright infringement for scanning libraries full of books but, last week, the U.S. [...]
Archive of posts filed under the Intellectual Property Issues category.
German book trade slams EU stance on Google books
Parties seek Google Books hearing delay; new deal brewing
From cnet:
The parties involved in the Google Book Search settlement have asked a federal court to postpone an October hearing to approve the proposed settlement while they work out a new deal.
When the Department of Justice made it clear last Friday that it could not support the settlement as written–which would give Google unique rights [...]
Music industry ready for climbdown on internet piracy demands
From The Times:
The music industry is preparing to back down from its demands that people caught downloading songs illegally be disconnected from the internet after a revolt by leading musicians.
UK Music, the body that represents the British music scene, will release a statement today clarifying its stance on file-sharing. It has been forced to drop [...]
Canadian University fears looming copyright reforms
From the Edmonton Journal:
Ottawa’s copyright reforms could force online universities to destroy their courses after every exam and would marginalize Alberta’s Athabasca University, says the head of the web-based institution.
University president Frits Pannekoek had been urging students to lobby Ottawa before the eight-week period for public input on the reforms expired on Sunday.
Industry Minister Tony [...]
Our Principles For the Mass Digitization of Books: Protecting Innovation, Competition, And The Public Interest
From the Open Book Alliance:
Friday marks an important deadline in the ongoing debate about the Google Book Settlement. It’s the deadline for the Department of Justice to submit its findings to the US District Court.
The members of the Open Book Alliance recognize the tremendous value that the mass digitization of books can bring to consumers, [...]
Groups call for EU scrutiny of Google book deal
From Reuters:
EU regulators should look into the book settlement that Google Inc reached with a group of U.S. writers and publishers last October because the deal will create a de facto monopoly, European opponents to the book deal said on Friday.
Justice Department Submits Views on Proposed Google Book Search Settlement
DOJ Press Release:
The Department of Justice today advised the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York that while it should not accept the class action settlement in The Authors Guild Inc. et al. v. Google Inc. as proposed due to concerns of the United States regarding class action, copyright and antitrust law, [...]
Google Signs Print-on-Demand Deal for Two Million Public Domain Titles
From Library Journal:
Google and On Demand Books (ODB), the maker of the Espresso Book Machine® (EBM), have signed a deal to provide print-on-demand (PoD) access to more than two million public-domain titles (published before 1923) in the Google digital files.
The deal also presages potential PoD access to millions more in-copyright “orphan works” should the Google [...]
Google Said to Be Talking With Justice About Online Book Deal
From Bloomberg:
Google Inc. and a group of authors and publishers are talking to the Justice Department about modifications to a settlement designed to make millions of out- of-print books available online, two people familiar with the discussions said.
The discussions are aimed at modifying the settlement in ways that ease Justice Department concerns that the deal [...]
Court Acknowledges More Than 400 Submissions in Google Settlement
From Publishers Weekly:
In an order posted Wednesday, federal judge Denny Chin said the fairness hearing for the Google Book Search Settlement scheduled for October 7 will go forward, and acknowledged receipt of more than 400 written filings. In the order, Chin gave the parties in the settlement until October 2 to respond in writing to [...]