Google defeats authors in U.S. book-scanning lawsuit [View all]

[Eugene]

Source: Reuters

BY JONATHAN STEMPEL
NEW YORK Thu Nov 14, 2013 12:53pm EST

(Reuters) - Google Inc on Thursday won dismissal of a long-running lawsuit by authors who accused the Internet search company of digitally copying millions of books for an online library without permission.

U.S. Circuit Judge Denny Chin in Manhattan accepted Google's argument that its scanning of more than 20 million books, and making "snippets" of text available online, constituted "fair use" under U.S. copyright law.

The decision, if it survives an expected appeal, would let Google continue expanding the library, which it said helps readers find books they might not otherwise locate.

It is also turning point for litigation that began in 2005, when authors and publishers sued. Google has estimated it could owe more than $3 billion if the Authors Guild, an advocacy group that demanded $750 for each scanned book, prevailed.

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Read more: http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/11/14/us-google-books-idUSBRE9AD0TT20131114