Google Strongarms Publishers In Book Scanning Program

A screenshot of the Google Print program, in which the search giant will scan copyrighted books without publisher and author permission, shows that the search giant is using not-so-subtle tactics to try and force publishers to agree to participate. When a publisher agrees to participate, Google will prominently display "Buy this Book" links from multiple online stores, including Amazon. But when a publisher doesn't agree to participate, and Google scans the book without the publisher's permission, no such "Buy this Book" link appears. So that publisher loses out on revenue.

It's bad enough that Google will violate copyright laws by scanning and making books available online without author or publisher permission. Making it worse is that it's designed the service to make sure that publishers and authors who don't give in won't benefit economically from Google's program.

Google can't plead that it's not capable of inserting "Buy this Book" links into books it scans without author and publisher permission. It has all the information necessary to create those links. It made a conscious decision to leave out those links.

The intent of the design is clear -- to force publishers to participate. It's just one more example of what's wrong with Google Print.