Consumer Watchdog Chasing Google
April 7, 2009
I just received a news release with the title “Consumer Group Calls on Justice Department to Intervene In Google Book Settlement; “Orphan Works” provision and “Most Favored Nation” Clause Raise Antitrust Concerns”. The news release points to a letter here that raises concerns about the Google deal with The Authors Guild and the Association of American Publishers. I’m no lawyer, but this is one more indication of growing interest in the GOOG. My question: Isn’t this concern a bit like the farmer who complains that his barn burned, his horses ran off, and a real estate developer built a Costco on the vacant lot? The GOOG has been chugging along for a decade and not doing much different year to year. Now folks realize that Google is more than search and want to change reality. My thought: find a way to surf on Google and live with the 21st century version of Ma Bell. Google is not a cause. Google is a manifestation of a change that has already taken place.
Stephen Arnold, April 7, 2009
Comments
2 Responses to “Consumer Watchdog Chasing Google”
-
- Subscribe to Beyond Search
Feature archive
News archive
-
Granted, the public has gotten involved in this late but since there are recent precedents for whole social economic contracts being rethought and rewritten, why shouldn’t this one be too?
This appears connected to your posting and my comment
“Libraries: A Tipping Point in Commercial Online”
http://arnoldit.com/wordpress/2009/03/05/libraries-a-tipping-point-in-commercial-online/
[…] Consumer Watchdog Chasing Google (arnoldit.com) […]