Inside Google

SAN FRANCISCO, CA — The U.S. Justice Department still thinks a proposal to give Google the digital rights to millions of hard-to-find books threatens to stifle competition and undermine copyright laws, despite revisions aimed at easing those concerns. Consumer Watchdog, one of the groups fighting the settlement, applauded
the Justice Department for taking a stand against a deal "that unfairly
benefits the narrow agenda of one company."

In a big blow to Google’s efforts to build a massive digital-books marketplace and library, the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) has come out against the revised agreement to settle copyright lawsuits brought against Google by authors and publishers. Consumer Watchdog, a critic of the settlement, praised the DOJ’s
opinion and predicted the judge will not approve the proposal. "The
Department of Justice should be commended for standing firm in opposing
this private deal that unfairly benefits the narrow agenda of one
company," said John M. Simpson, a consumer advocate with Consumer
Watchdog, in a statement.

SANTA MONICA, CA — Consumer Watchdog praised the U.S. Department of
Justice today for opposing the amended Google Books Settlement. The DOJ
said that while there were improvements in the amended settlement,
problems with class certification, copyright and antitrust issues
remained.

The revelation that Google Inc. is partnering with the National Security Agency to probe a widespread cyber attack has quickened the pulse of privacy advocates.

Google has apparently gone to the super secret National Security Agency seeking help in preventing cyber attacks.

Although the amended settlement agreement for Google’s Book Search addressed some concerns the U.S. Justice Department had, it still could give the company anticompetitive advantages in the digital book marketplace, the agency said on Thursday. The nonprofit advocacy group Consumer Watchdog praised the Justice Department’s stance. "The settlement still abuses the class-action mechanism and purports to
enroll absent class members automatically into new business
‘opportunities,’ in violation of current copyright laws," Consumer
Watchdog reiterated from its friend-of-the-court brief opposing the
agreement as modified.

Two Texas Congressmen have asked the U.S. of Justice to ensure that  the proposed Google Books Settlement not hurt minority publishers and small businesses. The department is scheduled to file its view of the amended settlement in federal court on Thursday.

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