Remember the Google book-scan lawsuit? No, we hadn’t either; we hardly even remember books. But thanks to Jaded Topaz we’re reminded, as she sends along word that it’s been settled:
Here’s what happened: Yesterday, in what some say is the biggest book deal in U.S. history, Google struck a $125 million settlement with the publishing industry that will allow Google to make millions of digital books available online. The settlement, which follows two years of negotiations and requires approval by a federal court, calls for Google to pay the $125 million to settle claims from authors and publishers for its earlier digital-scanning, cover legal fees and establish a Book Rights Registry to oversee the agreement, which calls for payments to authors and publishers for use of their books online.
Interesting. That doesn’t sound like all that much, does it? On the other hand, if that money actually really were to go to authors — the ones who put the words in order? — as opposed to publishers, now, that would be something. But meanwhile:
As the NYT points out, the settlement leaves unanswered the issue of whether Google’s unauthorized scanning constitute[s] fair use for copyright purposes.
Not for us: It’s not fair use, no. Any other questions?
