Google’s fight for its book deal

gallery

Google, as you might expect, doesn’t see things like this, and in its filing to the Southern District Court, it states that: “Approval of the settlement will open the virtual doors to the greatest library in history. To deny the settlement will keep those library doors locked.”

And certainly the end game idea is an intriguing one: millions and millions of books available in an instant, ready to be devoured. Especially for those that would otherwise be out of print and all-but-unavailable, it sounds a tasty prospect.

Yet Google’s idealistic approach aside, there’s an added problem that the firm faces that wasn’t quite so pronounced when it originally embarked on this project: perception.

Regulation

Back when negotiations began over the Registry in 2004, Google had steered clear of regulatory attention. But such has its power grown in the time-frame since, that its actions are now firmly under the microscope.

The first clear indication of this was when the US government indicated it would nix a potential online ad tie-up with Yahoo, the mere threat of which sent Google scuttling away from the table. And there are increasing fears over the sheer level of power that Google wields over the internet.

Further objections surround the fact that if you want to take advantage of the more advanced features of the Google library, then you’re going to need to be logged into your Google account, you’d have to assume.

Thus, any books that you bookmark, any titles that you’ve searched and any tomes you’ve bought will be known to Google. If you went into your local Waterstone’s and started flicking through Harry Potter, nobody is ever likely to know. But your every move is likely to be tracked by Google, and potentially used to target advertising against - given that that’s the prime Google business model.

The overall objective of Google’s plan is certainly an admirable one. Yet in attempt to bring together millions and millions of books, and to scan and upload them, it’s inevitably hitting major copyright and privacy concerns.

It doesn’t help that it’s the kind of project whose sheer scope is likely to deter any potential rival, and as such if Google does get the nod, its hold over this particular market – no matter what agreement it broaches – is going to be substantive.

Unsurprisingly, such a major plan comes with major opposition, and among those dissenting are Amazon and the US Department Of Justice. Google is taking on some weighty opponents here, and in the case of the latter, a foe with bite and a potentially long memory.

It all adds up to make the case too hard to call. A massive digital library of books is an inevitability, and while the complaints and legal problems have been worked on, Google has been building up its own library to put it in pole position.

But it’s got no guarantee of success here, and what shape that aforementioned library will take is set to be determined by what could prove to be a landmark ruling. One that, no doubt, will be appealed for some time to come...

Email to a friend

Print this page