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Yahoo!, Amazon, MSFT Oppose Google Book Deal

by - source: Tom's Hardware US

Google's book deal is already facing an antitrust inquiry from the Department of Justice and it seems the DOJ isn't the only one that disagrees with Google and the Authors Guild's agreement.

The Los Angeles Times today reports that Microsoft, Yahoo and Amazon have signed a coalition that opposes the search giant's proposed settlement with the Authors Guild and the Association of American Publishers.

Organized by the Internet Archive and Gary Reback, a Silicon Valley antitrust lawyer, the coalition has yet to be announced. However the LA Times cites Peter Brantley, director of the Internet Archive, in saying several library and journalism associations are already on board, including the New York Library Association, the Special Libraries Association and the American Society of Journalists and Authors.

Last October, Google, the Authors Guild and the Association of American Publishers announced that the three had come to a $125 million agreement with regard to pre-scanned copyright protected books, and laid out prospective plans for future revenues. Google's $125 million would be used to cover legal fees as well as establish the Book Rights Registry, aimed at resolving existing claims by authors and publishers.

However, back in June, rumors started to do the rounds about a DOJ investigation and in early July, the Justice Department confirmed that it was conducting a formal investigation into the agreement. Three weeks later, the European Union announced that it was setting a September 7 date for a discussion on the controversial deal.

The Internet Archive along with those who have signed the coalition are expected to make a joint statement sometime next week.

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doomtomb 08/21/2009 4:24 PM
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War has started...

tayb 08/21/2009 4:27 PM
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It's not t he DOJ Google needs to worry about... the EU is eying another opportunity to finance European endeavors. Uh oh.

nukemaster 08/21/2009 5:01 PM
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tayb :
It's not t he DOJ Google needs to worry about... the EU is eying another opportunity to finance European endeavors. Uh oh.


+1

thepetey 08/21/2009 5:56 PM
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oh really? Google's biggest competitors don't agree with this deal?... couldn't see that one coming.

Hanin33 08/21/2009 9:38 PM
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what exactly is the argument here? who's not getting paid or what? isn't the 125m part of royalty payments?

rigaudio 08/22/2009 12:32 PM
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And if Amazon started up something like that, Google would be against it as well.

UmeNNis 08/22/2009 2:15 AM
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^ It's called Kindle

domenic 08/22/2009 3:20 AM
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This has to be one of the poorest written articles I've ever read (or tried to read) WTF?

shqtth 08/22/2009 4:00 AM
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ya im confused. Learn to write.

scuba dave 08/22/2009 5:45 PM
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Yeah.. use smaller words. And use pictures. Pop-up pictures. o.O


But other than my lame attempt at sarcasm.. It's kind of funny seeing MSFT, of all people, pointing fingers at Google for being a monopoly. Just can't have that now can we? :P

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