Electronic ecommerce systems
The case study is about Google books settlement. Google is on a tear to establish everything digital on its server to enable its users to access all the scanned books which are stored in its database. Google has been offering access to all the world’s information through its effort which involve scanning of millions of copyrighted books which it does not own and then without the authorization, it offers its search engine users with the access to those books without charges. In 2002, Google initiated its secrete project tom scan all books in the library and make parts available online and display advertisement next to the results of books searchers. Nonetheless, the effort by Google to offer access to the world’s information has been faced with the challenge of the various lawsuit since the company has been frequently accused of violating copyright law. In 2005, two lawsuits were filed against Google for the violation of the copyright law. The cases were made at the federal court in New York where it was alleged that Google was claiming the entitlement to unilaterally alter copyright regulation and copy anything unless someone stopped them. In response to the allegation, Google argued that its use was just under the fair use principle that has arisen from various court decisions granted over the years and which is codified in the copyright statute of 1976.
Similarly, in 2008, Google agreed to settle the lawsuits with the authors along with the publishers who were the plaintiffs in the case. The settlement was to give Google nonexclusive entitlement to vend books scanned into its database, place an advertisement on those pages and finally display [parts of the books and make other commercial uses of its catalogue of scanned books. The settlement was, however, criticized because the technology companies argued that it would give Google excess authority entailing absolute right to sell out-of-print work.