The Google Book Search Settlement has been much in the news recently, with the Internet Archive, Philip K. Dick’s heirs, consumer groups and Microsoft registering their objections to the search giant’s agreement with authors and publishers. And now Justice Department anti-trust lawyers are meeting with Google about the settlement, raising the possibility of a full-blown anti-trust court showdown between the government and the world’s biggest search and advertising company. It’s a complicated story combining copyright law, anti-trust issues and the odd problem of orphan books. It’s also the story of one company’s attempt to create the largest and most comprehensive library in the history of the world. Here’s Wired.com’s guide through the thicket of the Google Book Search Settlement.
The Fight over the Google of All Libraries: A Wired.com FAQ.