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Authors, Publishers Seek Delay In Google Case

By Alex Pham LOS ANGELES TIMES

23. September 2009

Two groups ask a federal judge for more time to address new issues in a settlement covering the firm’s digital library project. A hearing is set for Oct. 7, but they want it moved to Nov. 6.

Consumer Watchdog, an advocacy group in Santa Monica, objected to the
"closed-door" nature of the negotiations with the Justice Department. "Key copyright issues must be settled by Congress in a fully public process," said John Simpson, a Consumer Watchdog spokesman.

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New Deal Sought In Dispute Over Google Book Plan

By Larry Neumeister ASSOCIATED PRESS

22. September 2009

Consumer Watchdog, a nonpartisan, nonprofit consumer advocacy group
that has asked the court to reject the settlement, said in a statement
that key copyright issues should be settled by Congress in a fully
public process. "Essentially Google and the authors and publishers groups are back at
square one and must re-negotiate the deal," said John M. Simpson, a
consumer advocate with Consumer Watchdog who was one of eight witnesses
to testify about the deal to the House Judiciary Committee.

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Google Working To Modify Settlement, Publishers Say

By Susan Decker and David Glovin BLOOMBERG

22. September 2009

Google Inc. and groups of authors and publishers are working to modify a $125 million settlement to create a digital library following criticism from parties including the U.S. Justice Department, the groups said. “Google and the authors and publisher groups are back at square one,”
John Simpson, an advocate at Consumer Watchdog, a group in Santa
Monica, California, said in a statement.

Press Release

Publishers and Authors Ask To Delay Google Hearing To Negotiate New Settlement

CONTACT: John M. Simpson

22. September 2009

Consumer Watchdog Says Copyright Issues For Congress, Not Closed-Door Deals

SANTA M0NICA, CA —Publisher and author associations sought today to
cancel a key hearing in the Google Books case to allow private
negotiations with Google over digitizing books online. Consumer
Watchdog warned that important issues affecting copyright law should
not be negotiated behind closed doors.

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Justice Department Urges Judge To reject Google’s Digital Book Settlement

By Alex Pham LOS ANGELES TIMES

19. September 2009

Officials
cite concerns that the agreement with authors and publishers could run
afoul of antitrust and copyright laws. But they also propose
modifications to make the settlement pass muster.

In
recent months, many groups have voiced concerns over whether the
agreement would give Google too much pricing power and whether the
Mountain View, Calif., company would adequately safeguard reader
privacy. Consumer Watchdog praised the move by Justice
officials. "This is a victory for consumers and the broader public
interest," said a group advocate, John Simpson.

News Clipping

Court Urged to Reject Google Deal

By Cecilia Kang THE WASHINGTON POST

19. September 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 Court To Reject (Unedited) Googlebooks Pact

By Cade Metz THE REGISTER (UK)

19. September 2009

Concerns Over Class Action, Copyright, Antitrust Law

The DoJ was also praised by the consumer watchdog known as Consumer
Watchdog, a notorious thorn in Google’s side. But the watchdog argues
that even if the DoJ’s concerns are alleviated, the court should reject
the settlement. "Solving the antitrust problem is only [part] of the
problem,” said Consumer Watchdog’s John Simpson.

News Clipping

DOJ Asks Court to Reject Google Book Search, Pending Changes

By Clint Boulton EWEEK.COM

19. September 2009

The Department of Justice said the Google Book Search settlement would violate class action, copyright and antitrust law and said it should not be approved without changes. Consumer advocates were joyous about the DOJ’s finding: "This is a victory for consumers and the broad public
interest," said John M. Simpson, consumer advocate with Consumer
Watchdog. "Consumer Watchdog supports digitization and digital
libraries in a robust competitive market open to all organizations,
both for-profit and non-profit, that offer fundamental privacy
guarantees to users. But a single entity cannot be allowed to build a
digital library based on a monopolistic advantage when its answer to
serious questions from responsible critics boils down to: ‘Trust us.
Our motto is "Don’t be evil."’"

News Clipping

U.S. Urges Court To Reject Google Book Deal

By Diane Bartz REUTERS

18. September 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.

Press Release

Consumer Watchdog Praises Department Of Justice Action In Google Books Case, Warns Major Issues Including Lack Of Privacy Guarantees Remain Problematic

CONTACT: John M. Simpson

18. September 2009

SANTA MONICA, CA — Consumer Watchdog praised the U.S. Justice
Department for objecting to the proposed Google Books settlement in a
brief the department filed in U.S. District Court tonight. The nonpartisan, nonprofit consumer group had asked the Justice
Department to intervene in the case on antitrust grounds last April.
Justice announced it was investigating in July. Justice’s objections
tonight went beyond antitrust concerns.

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