Google and Entrepreneurs: Reading Between the Lines

Google pulled out all the stops today to highlight all the great things they do for small businesses and economic growth.  It’s a nice story idea (and effective diversion from ongoing privacy concerns raised by domestic and international regulators) but we think there are quite a few entrepreneurs who’d disagree.

We’re talking of course about the thousands of small, independent writers whose works have been unilaterally and illegally Hoovered into Google’s data stash.  These are folks that depend on their writing to pay the bills and generate business.

Groups like the American Society of Journalists and Authors and the National Writers Union have fought the proposed settlement specifically because it puts their members’ livelihoods at risk.

So if Google wants to talk about what a great partner they are to small businesses, they should consider the impact on independent authors and publishers and even local libraries.  Or perhaps they could invite the hundreds of authors that signed Ursala Le Guin’s petition opposing the settlement to a fancy briefing.  We’re sure they’d love fancy notebooks and free coffee.