Inside Google

Google Strives To Build Biggest Online Library

Helene Franchineau

Internet-search giant Google is making conciliatory gestures in an effort to blunt mounting opposition to a copyright deal that is the foundation of its plan to build the biggest online library, Google Books.  Urging the court to reject the Google Books deal, Consumer Watchdog, a
consumer group, said last week the proposed settlement conflicts with
international copyright treaties such as the Berne Convention for the
Protection of Literary and Artistic Works. It "would strip rights from
millions of absent-class members worldwide, for the sole benefit of
Google," referring to authors and publishers who did not or could not
opt out of the deal between Google and the Guild for the Google Book
Search.

Google Books Settlement Facing Scrutiny

Jon Hood

Concerns center on possible monopoly, invasion of privacy
 
John M. Simpson of Consumer Watchdog,
a California-based non-profit, said a key problem is the unfair
competitive advantage Google receives under the settlement that comes
from its attempt to pull an end-run around the appropriate legislative solution
to the orphan books problem. “This is not an issue for a court and
certainly one that cannot be settled by solving the problem for one
large corporation and no one else,” he said in testimony before the
House Judiciary Committee last week.

DC Dispatch: The week in review

Carmen Balber

Things got busy fast this week in DC as Congress returned from the month-long summer break.

Finance committee chair Sen. Max Baucus released his long-awaited health reform proposal on Tuesday after months of closed-door meetings…

Press Release

Lawmakers Created Google Settlement Mess, But Some Urge Staying Out Of It

CONTACT: Greg Piper

By failing to pass orphan works legislation in previous sessions, Congress practically guaranteed a messy settlement would result from Google’s scanning and display of millions of out-of-print works found only in libraries, several lawmakers said at a House Judiciary Committee hearing Thursday. Consumer Watchdog’s John M. Simpson, perhaps Google’s most vocal
nonprofit critic in Washington, said the settlement "simply furthers
the relatively narrow agenda" of Google, the Authors Guild and
Association of American Publishers. Congress should pass orphan-works
or fair-use legislation, so Google won’t get an "unprecedented
monopolistic advantage" over some books.

Consumer Watchdog Backs Digital Libraries, Opposes Google Books Settlement Deal

John M. Simpson

Testimony Says Deal Violates Law, Is Anti-Competitive And Raises Privacy Concerns

WASHINGTON, DC — The proposed Google Books settlement should be
rejected because it is anticompetitive, violates both U.S. and
international law and raises substantial threats to privacy, Consumer
Watchdog’s John M. Simpson told the House Judiciary Committee today.

Press Release

Official: Book Settlement Makes ‘Mockery’ Of Copyright Law

CONTACT: Grant Gross

Google’s proposed book settlement with book authors and publishers, allowing the company to digitize and sell millions of books, makes a "mockery" of copyright protections in the U.S. Constitution, the head of the U.S. Copyright Office said Thursday. The settlement would give Google an "unlawful and inappropriate"
monopoly and strips away the rights of copyright holders worldwide,
added John Simpson, a consumer advocate with Consumer Watchdog.
"The deal simply furthers the relatively narrow agenda of Google, the
Authors Guild and the Association of American Publishers," he said.

Press Release

Congressional Panel To Review Pros, Cons Of Google’s Book Deal With Authors, Publishers

CONTACT: Associated Press

WASHINGTON, D.C. — A Congressional committee will review the pros and cons of a class-action settlement that would give Google Inc. the digital rights
to millions of copyrighted books that are no long being published. The
antitrust concerns prompted the U.S. Department of Justice to open an
investigation into whether the settlement will undermine competition.
The Justice Department is scheduled to report some of its preliminary
filings to Chin by Sept. 18. Other critics, including consumer
watchdog groups and some library associations, are worried the deal
will open a window on what kinds of books people are reading.

Press Release

Congress To Weigh Google Books Settlement

CONTACT: Miguel Helft

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.

Press Release

Flurry Of Last-Minute Objections to Google Book Project

CONTACT: Chris Lefkow

Consumer advocacy group Consumer Watchdog warned that "if the
settlement were approved, it would give Google a default monopoly to
books for which the rightsholders cannot be located, resulting in
unfair competitive advantages to Google in the search engine,
electronic book sales, and other markets."

Press Release

Congressional Hearing To Focus On Google Book Search

CONTACT: Andrew Albanese

The Google Book Search Settlement has taken yet another twist: in a
last minute announcement, the House Judiciary Committee today posted
notice that it would hold a hearing on “The Competition and Commerce in
Digital Books” or, in other words, the Google Books Search Settlement, on Thursday, September 10th at 10am. With the hearing, the Google Book Search settlement has now hit the
trifecta—all three branches of government are involved: the Judiciary
is overseeing the settlement; the Executive, via the Department of
Justice, is looking at antitrust issues; and now Congress, which brings
the widest possible government scope from which to address potential
issues with book digitization.