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French Court to Google: Stop Scanning

Search giant must also pony up damages to publisher, industry

By Harry Kimball,  Newser Staff

Posted Dec 18, 2009 8:53 AM CST
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(Newser) – Beleaguered publishers won one against Google today as a French judge ordered the company to immediately stop scanning French books. The court sided with French publisher La Martiniere and other industry groups, who claimed in a lawsuit that the search giant’s book-scanning project violates copyrights. The company must also pay out $430,000 in damages, the Paris Civil Court ruling mandates. The plaintiffs argued that Google did not make an effort to check with rightful owners before digitizing the texts.

“We are very, very satisfied,” a lawyer for Editions du Seuil, one of La Martiniere's houses, tells Bloomberg. “The decision is immediately enforceable, so even if they appeal, they must stop the scanning.”

A digitized book destined for Google's cache.
A digitized book destined for Google's cache.   (AP Photo)
A scanner passes over a book at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, Mich., as part of Google's book project.
A scanner passes over a book at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, Mich., as part of Google's book project.   (AP Photo)
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COMMENTS
Showing 3 of 8 comments
plstyle
Dec 18, 2009 9:51 AM CST
Ok, well its not that i was confused, its more likely that if you would have left out Google entirely, or maybe posted your post on another thread, then it would have made more sense. Thanks for clarifying, as i do agree with most of what you say.
tomodachi
Dec 18, 2009 9:17 AM CST
Google has nothing to do with the ID theft issue (not that I know of). It wasn't my intention to get people to look the other way. What Google does with people's information is a subset of my entire point. Maybe that's where you became confused, when I voiced the primary point by referencing the credit report industry. In any event, I reiterate: I should have the right to decide how information about ME is used by businesses towards their financial gain... and I should have free and open access to their files about ME... including the list of anybody they've provided MY information to. These are generic concepts that should be applied to all companies who farm personal information... be they Google... or Experian... or whoever.
plstyle
Dec 18, 2009 8:38 AM CST
First off, too anybody who cares, tomodachi uses a red herring tactic in his first post. @ tomodachi- The world you describe, having power over all of your information, does not exist. My brother has had his ID stolen; he chose the wrong mortgage broker. I am aware of identity theft issues, and having the need for a "better system," but you failed to explain how this is all caused by Google.

 
Google • Internet • France • publisher • search engine • civil lawsuits • Google Book Search • digitizing • publishing industry • digital books • French court

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