Google, show me the money!

Pentru a inchide o disputa legala, care dura de ceva vreme, cu un ziar belgian, Google a acceptat sa cumpere publicitate in respectivul ziar in valoarea de 6 milioane USD + va plati si cheltuielile de judecata :D. Un precedent periculos as spune tinand cont de ceea ce se intampla prin Franta si Germania. Intreaga poveste aici.

The danger, of course, is that the rest of Europe will soon be beating a path to Google’s door demanding similar payouts. As we’ve noted, France and Germany are already kicking up dust over the copyright issue too (so is Brazil). The Le Monde story will only embolden them.

In the bigger picture, European news publishers would be better served by dropping the half-baked copyright claims (Google’s fair use case for excerpts is strong) and getting on with the painful process of digitization. The continent has wonderful newspapers but the ongoing prevalence of print is astounding compared to North America.