Tag Archive | "copyright infringement"
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Justice Dept Says Google Books Deal Troubled
By Diane Bartz REUTERS
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Changes that Google Inc and the Authors Guild made to an ambitious plan to create a massive online library were inadequate because they fail to address antitrust and copyright concerns, the U.S. Justice Department said on Thursday. Critics of the deal have been a varied group that includes Yahoo Inc, Amazon Inc, Microsoft Inc, the National Writers Union and Consumer Watchdog.
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DOJ: Thumbs Down Again to Google Book Search Settlement
By Juan Carlos Perez COMPUTERWORLD
Thursday, February 4, 2010
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.
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Judge Rejects Amazon Bid To Scrap Google Pact
By Wire Reports REUTERS
Wednesday, December 2, 2009
NEW YORK - A federal judge has rejected Amazon.com Inc's request that he withdraw preliminary approval of a settlement between Google Inc and groups of authors and publishers to digitize millions of books. Critics of the deal have been a varied group that includes Amazon, Yahoo, Microsoft, the National Writers Union, Consumer Watchdog and singer Arlo Guthrie.
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Antitrust Concerns Linger In Google Books Deal
By Elinor Mills CNET.COM
Monday, November 16, 2009
The revised Google Books settlement agreement may quiet international opponents, but it still gives Google a monopoly on commercializing out-of-print books where the copyrights are unclaimed and fails to protect consumer privacy, opponents said on Monday. Also troubling to critics is the fact that the revised settlement circumvents traditional copyright provisions by allowing Google to digitize orphan works without first getting rights holder permission, while any Google competitors are blocked from doing so barring legislation granting them licensing rights. "For the millions of volumes of orphan books that Google has already scanned in, they can offer those without risk of anyone coming forward and suing them for infringement," said John Simpson, a consumer advocate at Consumer Watchdog.
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Google submits revised digital book settlement to US judge
By Chris Lefkow AGENCE FRANCE PRESSE (AFP)
Saturday, November 14, 2009
Google and US authors and publishers submitted a revised settlement to a US judge Friday seeking approval of an agreement that would clear the way for millions of books to be sold online. Rival technology companies, privacy advocates, consumer watchdog groups and the French and German governments are among those who filed objections to the original settlement with the US District Court in New York hearing the case.
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Google, Authors Try To Answer Book Deal Concerns
By Diane Bartz REUTERS
Saturday, November 14, 2009
WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Google and the Authors Guild filed a new version of a deal to create a massive online library on Friday in hopes of answering antitrust and copyright concerns in the United States and overseas. Critics of the deal have been a varied group that includes Yahoo, Amazon, Microsoft, the National Writers Union, Consumer Watchdog and singer Arlo Guthrie.
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Critics Of Google Online-Books Deal Seek Delay
By Diane Bartz REUTERS
Thursday, October 22, 2009
WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Critics of Google's deal with an authors' group to put millions of books online have asked for a delay in a hearing set to consider the settlement in a court filing on Thursday. A long list of critics of the deal, including Yahoo, Amazon, Microsoft, the National Writers Union, Consumer Watchdog and singer Arlo Guthrie, argued on Thursday that the original class action settlement was long and complex and any changes would only add to its complexity
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Consumer Watchdog Highlights Google Hypocrisy In Differing ‘Cloud Computing’ Statements
CONTACT: John M. Simpson 310-392-0522 ext. 317 or cell 310-292-1902
Wednesday, October 14, 2009
Group Also Releases 3rd Round Of Annotated Google Documents In ‘Charmwatch’ Campaign SANTA MONICA, CA -- Consumer Watchdog today slammed Google for its apparent hypocrisy in marketing its new "cloud computing" products, blandly assuring customers that their data is secure on Google Internet servers but at the same time warning shareholders of the security risks posed by swift expansion of its commercial online business. The nonpartisan, nonprofit group sent a letter to a Los Angeles City Councilman showing that Google says one thing when trying to sell its products, but something else in federally required filings aimed at shareholders. Consumer Watchdog also released another round of annotated Google P.R. documents in its Google “Charmwatch” campaign.
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Court Urged to Reject Google Deal
By Cecilia Kang THE WASHINGTON POST
Saturday, September 19, 2009
Justice Dept. Cites Possible Copyright, Antitrust Violations Critics of the agreement, including consumer groups and competitors Amazon and Microsoft, argue that it would give Google near exclusive licensing rights to millions of out-of-print books, potentially harming consumers by giving the company exclusive control over prices for digital books. "A single entity cannot be allowed to build a digital library based on a monopolistic advantage," said John M. Simpson, a consumer advocate with public interest group Consumer Watchdog.
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DOJ Urges Changes To Google Book Deal
By Andrew Noyes NATIONAL JOURNAL (Congress Daily)
Saturday, September 19, 2009
The Open Book Alliance, a group formed by interests who oppose the current settlement plan, said it was pleased with DOJ's action. Making books searchable, readable and downloadable can unlock huge amounts of cultural knowledge but the arrangement as drafted is the wrong way to go about making that promise a reality, the group said. One of Google's chief critics, a nonprofit called Consumer Watchdog, said even if DOJ's concerns are addressed, the settlement should not be implemented.
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U.S. Urges Court To Reject Google Book Deal
By Diane Bartz REUTERS
Friday, September 18, 2009
John Simpson of Consumer Watchdog said he was pleased with the filing. "As the Justice brief makes clear, the proposed class-action settlement is monumentally overbroad and invites the court to overstep its legal jurisdiction, to the detriment of consumers and the public," Simpson said in an email.
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Google Strives To Build Biggest Online Library
By Helene Franchineau THE WASHINGTON TIMES
Tuesday, September 15, 2009
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.
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Google Books Settlement Facing Scrutiny
By Jon Hood CONSUMERAFFAIRS.COM
Sunday, September 13, 2009
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.
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Friday, February 5, 2010
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