Google has long stated that its main goal is to make all the information in the world accessible to everyone, and its latest step toward doing so has been to undertake an ambitious book digitization project that would eventually allow Google to sell digital copies of millions of books. However, this project, as well as a forthcoming U.S. legal settlement regarding the issue, has met staunch resistance from several groups throughout Europe for alleged copyright infringement.
 
So far, Google’s project has the support of several big-name European publishers, among them Oxford University Press and Bertselmann and Holtzbrinck, owners of Random House …read more

Google seems to be a lightning rod for legal disputes nowadays, most recently coming into the legal limelight because of its ambitious book database project. However, Google, as well as its popular video-sharing website YouTube.com, have been absolved of several damages claims in several copyright infringement cases.
 
This ruling, however, only applies to U.S. damages claims, leaving the possibility wide open for foreign copyright holders to claim damages from Google.  Viacom Inc. had made a case earlier against Google for similar damage claims but the judge rules then as he ruled now, barring all claims.
 
Another door that is left wide open …read more