Opposition Pours In

This week was the perfect storm for opponents of the revised GBS with condemnation raining down on the flawed book grab from around the globe.

Thursday was the last day for public filings in opposition to the settlement and there was no shortage of opponents or different takes on why the GBS was destructive, unfair and beyond salvation.

Consumer groups were especially active with comments filed from Public Knowledge and Consumer Watchdog.  In its brief, Consumer Watchdog noted that not only is the settlement an unconstitutional attempt to revise copyright law, but it also continues to award Google an unlawful and anti-competitive monopoly.

From the author’s camp, filings were delivered to Judge Chin from the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America and American Society of Journalists and Authors, Inc. Noted U.K. author and anti-GBS petition signer Ursula K. Le Guin also shared her case against the revised deal with the court.

And while the revised settlement cut out many non-english writing authors in an attempt to placate international objections to the deal – while also shattering the illusion of the library as being a representation of humanity’s knowledge – another round of objections sprang up from all corners of the globe.  Groups representing Japanese authors and Indian authors joined advocates from Germany, France, Italy and the U.K. in denouncing the plan.

We can only hope that Judge Chin and the settlement parties are listening to this overwhelming and varied outpouring of opposition.