Critics aren’t keen on Google’s book plan

Published 1:54 pm Friday, November 12, 2010

Google Inc.’s plans to add millions of copyright-protected books to its digital library are riding on a new legal settlement addressing the objections of government regulators who don’t want Google to gain too much power over a new market.

The revisions, expected to be filed soon with a New York federal court, represent Google’s latest attempt to resolve a 4-year-old lawsuit with groups representing the interests of U.S. authors and publishers.

Google negotiated a $125 million truce nearly 13 months ago only to have it fall apart as a chorus of critics protested to the federal judge who must approve the proposed settlement.

Among other complaints, the opposition said the plan would put Google in charge of a literary cartel that could illegally rig the prices of electronic books, an increasingly popular format.

Associated Press