In a recent court document filed in federal court in Manhattan, the online retail bigwig Amazon.com reiterated that the Google Books settlement would lead to the “perpetual exploitation of millions of copyrighted works,” and that the contentious issue of establishing rules for digitized books should be the Congress’ dispensation, not Google’s.
Putting forth legal arguments to substantiate its opposition of Google’s settlement with some US publishers and authors, the Seattle-based online retailer said that the deal “invades the prerogatives of Congress and attempts to legislate a private solution to a problem that can only truly be solved with across-the-board changes to the copyright law that affect everyone.”
Other than Amazon, Google rivals Microsoft and Yahoo too have vehemently opposed the litigious book settlement. Even the country top copyright official, Marybeth Peters, recently expressed the concern that parts of the deal are “fundamentally at odds with the law,” and challenge Congress’ ability to govern copyrights.
However, defending the deal, Google spokesman Gabriel Stricker contended that the agreement – whereby Google will make a $125 million payment and set up a Book Rights Registry to recompense copyright owners – is “non-exclusive”, and its approval by the court would make millions of books accessible to the US book-lovers.
The final decision on the deal lies with US District Judge Denny Chin, who would review it at the scheduled October 7 hearing in New York.by Amandeep Dhaliwal
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