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January 12, 2006

Google Thinks About Starting an Online Bookstore

At this year's Consumer Electronics Show (CES), officials from Google said they are considering launching an online bookstore, though they were quick to say such a venture would depend on permission from copyright holders. Google has been embroiled in ongoing legal disputes with publishers and other copyright holders over its effort to scan millions of texts, creating what CEO Eric Schmidt called "the world's largest card catalogue." Despite Google's contention that the scanning
project does not violate copyright, many copyright holders disagree and have challenged the project in court. An online bookstore would be a fundamentally different proposition, according to Google officials, and such a plan would only go forward with the express permission of copyright holders. During the CES, Google unveiled an online video store, the company's first offering that allows consumers to pay for
premium content. BBC, 10 January 2006 Edupage 1/11/06
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/4598478.stm

Posted by P. Kaufman at January 12, 2006 7:32 AM