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Google Goes to Court Over Book Search Service

The online search engine company, Google, is dealing with some unexpected bumpers on the way to release its Google Book Search service. The Authors Guild has taken Google to court over the new service, and claims that Google is flat-out violating copyrights. The company`s new service is aimed at allowing users to search the content of books, and offer a small reading section that is relevant to the search topic. By doing so, according to the Authors Guild, Google is using protect content without consent.

Google was hoping for the support of some colleagues, but when the company subpoenaed Yahoo and Amazon to court, the brief response was a clear "No". Yahoo, who also runs a book search service, did not want to assist it`s main rival in the search market, and said that "There is simply no need for Google to be peering into the minds and computers of Yahoo employees." Amazon followed the same line and did not supply any helpful information.

On the other hand, Google is saying that the new service will help book sales, in the same manner that peer-to-peer software, such as Napster or BitTorrent, boosted music sales. Google believes that by allowing people to search through books they get to know the book better, and the prospect of purchasing the book becomes relevant. Google also provides users with links to online venues, such as Amazon or Google`s own Froogle, where the book is available for sale.