Google To Remove "Inappropriate" Books From Digital Library 192
Miracle Jones writes "In an interview with Professor (and former Microsoft employee) James Grimmelmann at the New York Law School, who is both setting up an online clearinghouse to discuss the Google book settlement and drafting an amicus brief to inform the court about the antitrust factors surrounding "orphan books," he revealed that Google will be able to moderate the content of its book scans in the same way that they moderate their YouTube videos, leaving out works that Google deems "inappropriate" from the 7 million library books it has scanned. The Fiction Circus has called for a two-year long rights auction that will ensure that these "inappropriate" titles do not get left behind in the digital era, and that other people who are willing to host and display these books will be able to do so. There is only one week left for authors and publishers to "opt out" of the settlement class and retain their rights or raise objections, and Brewster Kahle's Internet Archive has been stopped from jumping on board Google's settlement as a party defendant and receiving the same legal protections that Google will get. A group of authors, including Philip K. Dick's estate, has tried to delay the settlement for four more months until they get their minds around the issue." In related news, Google is seeking a 60-day extension to the period in which it's attempting to contact authors to inform them of their right to opt-out of the terms of the settlement.
Burn 'em! (Score:4, Funny)
Question: how do you burn a digital book?
mental fllexibility (Score:5, Funny)
I'd have thought that anyone related to Philip K. Dick would be able to wrap their mind around -anything-.
Re:Burn 'em! (Score:5, Funny)
Question: how do you burn a digital book?
Depends on whether you are making a CD or DVD ...
What kind of books are inappropriate? (Score:4, Funny)
Designing a Meth Lab
The Demise of America under Corporations
Re:You Would Think... (Score:5, Funny)
Two words: Ann Coulter.
Re:Burn 'em! (Score:3, Funny)
Put in on a laptop with one of those flaky batterries in them.
Re:What kind of books are inappropriate? (Score:3, Funny)
If it's based on slashdot users, it includes:
Anything that disproves global warming.
Anything critical against Barok Obama.
Anything about programming perl.
Re:What kind of books are inappropriate? (Score:1, Funny)
What makes you think those users would approve of book banning? I think a debate on whether global warming exists or not is not a particularly useful one - that doesn't mean that they shouldn't be allowed to write or read books.
I support him, but I'm still critical of Barack Obama's policies on wiretapping & I disagree with him on a lot of privacy issues & people he's appointed. Why would I want to ban books? If anything a good book at the end of his presidency describing everything that went on in a critical manner would be very interesting to read. That doesn't mean I think any discussion that starts of "OMG he's leading us into fascism" or "OMG he raised taxes a bit - socialism" is particularly useful. Any books from those people wouldn't be interesting to me either - that doesn't mean they don't have the right to write them.
Now perl programming is inappropriate & should be banned.
Re:What kind of books are inappropriate? (Score:4, Funny)
Anything about programming perl.
It doesn't matter anyway - there's no point in trying to index line noise.
Re:You Would Think... (Score:5, Funny)
She will be remembered as one of the great humorists of our time.
Re:Author! Author! (Score:1, Funny)
You are begging for a Soviet Russia joke. The estate didn't write the books, the books 'wrote' the estate....
Harlan Ellison (Score:2, Funny)
He's a beacon of light in our troubled forest of copyright.
Re:Burn 'em! (Score:2, Funny)
Yes! Environmentally friendly censorship!
Re:What kind of books are inappropriate? (Score:4, Funny)
2) Being distrustful of any politician
3) Destroying souls (spot on)
Fixed that for ya
Re:Harlan Ellison (Score:3, Funny)
Screw you, I'm going to sue you. I own the copyright and trademark for "beacon of light in our troubled forest" and you owe me money for even thinking it.
Sincerly,
H. Ellison
Re:Censorship (Score:2, Funny)
Exactly. NOTHING is inappropriate!
Tubgirl begs to differ.
Re:You Would Think... (Score:1, Funny)
Re:Censorship (Score:3, Funny)
She's cute. I'd tap that.
Re:Burn 'em! (Score:4, Funny)
Question: how do you burn a digital book?
Answer: bit by bit.