UK Booksellers Association criticise recent Google copyright deal

14 November 2008

In October we reported that Google have agreed to pay $125m in a landmark copyright settlement agreement in cases relating to the internet giant's digitisation of in-copyright works.  The proposed deal would see worldwide holders of US copyrights able to register their works with a newly created "Registry" and receive compensation from institutional subscriptions, individual book sales and advertising revenues as well as cash payment for works already digitised.  Rights holders in the Registry would receive 63% of Google's book search related revenue.

Now the UK's bookselling trade group, the Booksellers Association of the UK & Ireland Ltd ("the BA"), have issued a statement on behalf of its members criticising the proposed deal.  In a recently issued press release they express concern about the future of digital content if the US District Court for the Southern District of New York approve the deal next year.  They note that the proposed system provides Google with a unique position in the market which "if abused, could easily create a de facto monopoly."  Their concern seems to be that Google is already a key player on the Internet and if the agreement is approved as it stands, it would place power in the hands of one company and that "is a bridge too far."

Currently the proposed agreement only applies to the US but the BA fear that if the "one-stop shop" direct to customer approach comes to Europe then customers may be culturally deprived.  They argue that, in the long term, Google's position of power could limit the customer's experience of knowledge and interactive bookselling that helps to build the reputation of authors and publishers.