05 February 2010 - 03H01  

US justice department opposes Google book deal
A visitor sitting in front of a Google logo at a Frankfurt Book Fair. The US Department of Justice on Thursday came out against a revised legal settlement with US authors and publishers that would allow Google to scan and sell millions of books online.
A visitor sitting in front of a Google logo at a Frankfurt Book Fair. The US Department of Justice on Thursday came out against a revised legal settlement with US authors and publishers that would allow Google to scan and sell millions of books online.

AFP - The US Department of Justice on Thursday came out against a revised legal settlement with US authors and publishers that would allow Google to scan and sell millions of books online.

Federal lawyers told the US District Court in New York that despite "substantial progress" between Google, The Authors Guild and other involved parties "class certification, copyright and antitrust issues remain."

Despite good faith efforts by all sides, the amended agreement "suffers from the same core problem as the original agreement," the DOJ said in a "statement of interest" filed with the court.

Judge Denny Chin is to hold a hearing on February 18 on Google's vast digital book project.

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