Rulings

Judge Blocks Google Books Deal

Says digitization pact “goes too far.”

The universal library is on hold: A U.S. judge in Manhattan has blocked Google’s $125 million deal with author and publisher groups that would allow it to digitize books without copyright permission. While the judge acknowledged that Google’s goal of a universal digital library “would benefit many," he said Google’s current deal would "simply go too far." He said the deal would reward Google for copying and give it an advantage of competitors when it comes to book search. He did, however, say Google and the Authors Guild and Association of American Publishers could submit a revised settlement, and he suggested that it replace the current opt-out clause—which requires copyright owners to request exclusion—with an opt-in one.