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Google Suspends Scanning Copyrighted Works -- For Now
From: David Farber <dave () farber net>
Date: Fri, 12 Aug 2005 16:14:08 -0400
Begin forwarded message: From: Lauren Weinstein <lauren () vortex com> Date: August 12, 2005 3:29:09 PM EDT To: dave () farber net Cc: lauren () vortex com Subject: Google Suspends Scanning Copyrighted Works -- For Now Dave, I have previously been highly critical of Google's massive new book-scanning project (in cooperation with various university libraries), primarily due to its including copyrighted works without permission being obtained from or compensation being paid to the copyright holders. Google would obviously derive immense value from such a database, irrespective of if, when, or how they chose to make the materials available publicly. Now comes word that Google has suspended the scanning of copyrighted works for a few months:http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/technology/AP-Google-Library- Copyrights.html
However, demonstrating that Google still doesn't really "get it," the article notes that: Google wants publishers to notify the company which copyrighted books they don't want scanned, effectively requiring the industry to opt out of the program instead of opting in. ... ''Google's procedure shifts the responsibility for preventing infringement to the copyright owner rather than the user, turning every principle of copyright law on its ear.'' ... I'm all in favor of reasonable copyright laws that don't extend copyrights so far into the future that important works are kept out of the public domain seemingly forever, but Google's project, as relates to copyrighted works, definitely has been beyond the pale. --Lauren-- Lauren Weinstein lauren () pfir org or lauren () vortex com or lauren () eepi org Tel: +1 (818) 225-2800 http://www.pfir.org/lauren Co-Founder, PFIR - People For Internet Responsibility - http://www.pfir.org Co-Founder, EEPI - Electronic Entertainment Policy Initiative - http://www.eepi.org Moderator, PRIVACY Forum - http://www.vortex.com Member, ACM Committee on Computers and Public Policy Lauren's Blog: http://lauren.vortex.com DayThink: http://daythink.vortex.com ------------------------------------- You are subscribed as lists-ip () insecure org To manage your subscription, go to http://v2.listbox.com/member/?listname=ip Archives at: http://www.interesting-people.org/archives/interesting-people/
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- Google Suspends Scanning Copyrighted Works -- For Now David Farber (Aug 12)