French publishers sue Google for copyright infringement

Three French publishers, Gallimard, Flammarion and Albin Michel, have sued Google for copyright infringement when it scanned thousands of titles without consent as part of its Google Books project, according to a report in Livres Hebdo magazine. AFP and Le Monde picked up the story, indicating that a document showing Google France as the defendant was lodged at the Paris high court on 6 May. The same charged will be levelled at the parent company. The three publishers are seeking EUR 9.8 million in damages for the unauthorised digitising of 9,797 works for which they are the rights holders, or a fixed penalty of EUR 1,000 per title. The judge is yet to set the trial date. It will be up to the US company to provide the pleadings in answer. Google told AFP and/or Le Monde that it was surprised to be the subject of this fresh accusation, which it was currently studying, while it has been engaged in working with Franch publishers for some time to find a way to increase readership and revenue sources for publishing houses, authors and book retailers. Google said it was convinced that its Google Books service stood on firm legal ground and that it was in conformity with French and international copyright law. Telecompaper reported last November that French publisher Hachette had signed an agreement with Google Books.