We all often copy content off a news website and share it on BP. I am not sure about the copyright issues and understand that this is fair use, but I saw this in a South African business newspaper today and thought I should share it with you all.
By the way, got a bronze medal in the Two Oceans half marathon today, which only means I finished in about 2 hours. And yes, I did wear scarlet and gray!
AFP challenges search engines in Google lawsuit (from www.iol.co.za)
March 24, 2005
By Anick Jesdanun
In a case that could set limits on internet search engines, the French news agency Agence France-Presse (AFP) is suing Google for pulling together photos and story excerpts from thousands of news websites.
AFP said the Google News service infringed on AFP's copyrights by reproducing information from the websites of subscribers of the Paris-based news wholesaler.
The issues raised by the case have profound implications for the internet, where anyone can be a publisher and Web journals, or blogs, are becoming more frequent destinations for seekers of news.
The lawsuit's outcome will likely hinge on whether Google can persuade the courts that Google News constitutes permissible "fair use" of copyright material.
Legal scholars say Google could argue that it adds value by significantly improving the news-consuming experience without greatly harming AFP's ability to sell its service.
But in seeking at least $17.5 million in damages, AFP says Google adds little because its news site looks much like those of AFP subscribers, albeit one where software and not human editors determine the placement of stories on a page.
The US district court in Washington DC, where the lawsuit was filed last Thursday, will ultimately have to balance search engines' desire to give consumers convenience, selling ads in the process, and copyright owners' rights to control their works.
"The story [of the internet] from day one has been one of waves of liberalisation followed by attempts at control," said Jonathan Zittrain, a Harvard law professor.
The AFP case is not the only lawsuit challenging a search engine's practices. A porn website has sued Google, accusing it of distributing links and passwords.
Several companies have also sued Google and others over the use of trademarks as keywords for triggering a rival's ads.
By the way, got a bronze medal in the Two Oceans half marathon today, which only means I finished in about 2 hours. And yes, I did wear scarlet and gray!
AFP challenges search engines in Google lawsuit (from www.iol.co.za)
March 24, 2005
By Anick Jesdanun
In a case that could set limits on internet search engines, the French news agency Agence France-Presse (AFP) is suing Google for pulling together photos and story excerpts from thousands of news websites.
AFP said the Google News service infringed on AFP's copyrights by reproducing information from the websites of subscribers of the Paris-based news wholesaler.
The issues raised by the case have profound implications for the internet, where anyone can be a publisher and Web journals, or blogs, are becoming more frequent destinations for seekers of news.
The lawsuit's outcome will likely hinge on whether Google can persuade the courts that Google News constitutes permissible "fair use" of copyright material.
Legal scholars say Google could argue that it adds value by significantly improving the news-consuming experience without greatly harming AFP's ability to sell its service.
But in seeking at least $17.5 million in damages, AFP says Google adds little because its news site looks much like those of AFP subscribers, albeit one where software and not human editors determine the placement of stories on a page.
The US district court in Washington DC, where the lawsuit was filed last Thursday, will ultimately have to balance search engines' desire to give consumers convenience, selling ads in the process, and copyright owners' rights to control their works.
"The story [of the internet] from day one has been one of waves of liberalisation followed by attempts at control," said Jonathan Zittrain, a Harvard law professor.
The AFP case is not the only lawsuit challenging a search engine's practices. A porn website has sued Google, accusing it of distributing links and passwords.
Several companies have also sued Google and others over the use of trademarks as keywords for triggering a rival's ads.
