Press Release

Congress To Weigh Google Books Settlement

CONTACT:

Wed, Sep 9, 2009 at 5:01 pm

    The deadline for filing legal arguments on the controversial Google Books settlement may have passed.
    But that doesn’t mean the impassioned debate of the issues surrounding
    Google’s plan to create an immense digital library and bookstore will
    die down anytime soon.

    On Thursday, the House Judiciary Committee will hold a hearing titled Competition and Commerce in Digital Books
    that will be all about the landmark settlement of the class action
    filed by the Authors Guild and the Association of American Publishers
    against Google in 2005.

    Although the hearing is likely to attract some attention, the voice
    that settlement watchers are most eager to hear is that of the Justice
    Department, whose lawyers are investigating whether the agreement
    violates antitrust law. The Justice Department has until Sept. 18 to
    file its views with the court.

    The debate Thursday is certain to be lively, with Google’s top lawyer, David Drummond, squaring off against Amazon’s
    top public policy executive, Paul Misener. Other speakers include Paul
    Aiken of the Authors Guild, Marc Mauer of the National Federation of
    the Blind and David Balto of the Center for American Progress, who
    support the deal.

    Others witnesses are likely to cast a more skeptical eye on the
    agreement, including John Simpson of Consumer Watchdog, a nonprofit
    that has opposed the agreement; Randall Picker, a professor at the University of Chicago Law School who has raised antitrust concerns; and Marybeth Peters, the head of the United States Copyright Office, who has also raised questions about the deal.

    Mr. Drummond’s prepared testimony is available here and Mr. Balto’s here.
    An opposing view, courtesy of the Open Book Alliance, a coalition of
    companies and organizations that is not speaking at the hearing, is
    available here.

    Those interested in a directory of all the filings in the case can find it here.

    , , ,

    Leave a Reply

    Celine Handbagsceline purseceline bag priceceline luggageceline taschenceline clutchceline onlinecheap ray ban sunglasses