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Saturday, September 19, 2009

US Justice Dept. Urges to Reject Google Books Settlement

Reuters writes:

The U.S. Justice Department urged a New York court on Friday to reject Google’s controversial deal with authors and publishers that would allow the search engine giant to create a massive online digital library.

Under the terms of the settlement, Google will pay $125 million to create a Book Rights Registry, where authors and publishers register works and are paid for books and other publications that the search giant would put online. (...)

The Justice Department noted that the “settlement appears to give book publishers the power to restrict price competition” and would give Google “de facto exclusivity” in distribution of orphan works, books which are in copyright but the rights holder cannot be located.

The Justice Department hasn’t finished its investigation, Reuters says, but already feels there is significant potential they’d decide the Google Books Settlement breaks antitrust law. In October in the federal court in Manhattan, a “fairness hearing” on the issue is planned to take place.

Gary Price at ResourceShelf assembled many more views on the issue.

[Thanks Gary!]

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