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Microsoft criticizes Google's copyright policies

6 March 2007 9:36 by James "Dela" Delahunty | 11 comments

Microsoft Corp. is preparing to attack the policies of Google Inc., in prepared remarks to be sent to the Association of American Publishers, that regard copyright protection. Microsoft Associate General Counsel Thomas Rubin claims that Google's move into new media markets comes at the expense of publishers of books, videos and software.

"Companies that create no content of their own, and make money solely on the backs of other people's content, are raking in billions through advertising revenue and IPOs," Rubin said. "Google takes the position that everything may be freely copied unless the copyright owner notifies Google and tells it to stop."

He also addressed Google's YouTube service. "In essence, Google is saying to you and to other copyright owners: 'Trust us - you're protected. We'll keep the digital copies secure, we'll only show snippets, we won't harm you, we'll promote you,'" he said. "But Google's track record of protecting copyrights in other parts of its business is weak at best."

Microsoft's outburst is fueled by Google's dominance in web searching, which the Redmond-based corporation has been useless to break. YouTube also is set to stay far ahead of competition for traffic, including Microsoft's own Soapbox site. Also, Microsoft could be worried of Google's recent step into the business software market with a set of Web-based subscription services that could hurt Microsoft's progress in that area.

Microsoft has also been friendly to content providers lately. Some fine examples are the cut that Universal gets from a sale of each Zune and the integrated Digital Rights Management software in an operating system (Windows Vista) for the consumer and business market. David Drummond, Google's senior vice president for corporate development defended Google from the attack, saying the company is working with 10,000 publishing partners to make books searchable online and has recently added the BBC and NBA basketball league as YouTube video partners.

"We do this by complying with international copyright laws, and the result has been more exposure and in many cases more revenue for authors, publishers and producers of content." he said. Rubin has sided with book publishers who are currently suing Google over its plans to scan millions of books and create a searchable database for the content, and he criticised Google's supposed fair use views. "Concocting a novel "fair use" theory, Google bestowed upon itself the unilateral right to make entire copies of copyrighted books," Rubin argued.

In response to that, Drummond replied: "The goal of search engines, and of products like Google Book Search and YouTube, is to help users find information from content producers of every size." Many readers will remember that Microsoft launched a similar attack on "open source" software 5 years ago, saying that it jeopardized property rights and threatened to undermine the software industry.

Open Source software has come a long way, and is now the biggest alternative of Microsoft's Windows franchise.

Source:
Reuters

Permalink to this article

MSN's Soapbox re-opens with filtering technology (4 June 2007)

Google says anti-piracy tools are high priority (22 February 2007)

Microsoft defends Vista's integrated DRM (22 January 2007)

Universal calls iPod users thieves (14 November 2006)

Universal gets a cut of Zune sales (10 November 2006)

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Discuss this article!
Nephilim (Moderator) 6 March 2007 9:39
As if Microsoft has any high ground from which to speak. [ + quote]
ZippyDSM (AfterDawn Addict) 6 March 2007 9:48
So google is supposed to drop everything and censor the net/life/X for the corporations because they don't like people seeing real things? [ + quote]
Attin (Junior Member) 6 March 2007 10:12
"Whine" sniff sniff We cant get our own shiz working... -What to do...? answer: Go whine to Google [ + quote]
spydah (Junior Member) 6 March 2007 10:47
Topical M$ whining and blaming somebody else for its failures. They just need another source to blame for no reason and on top of that they want to control every faze of the market even if its a market that doesn't hurt there sells. [ + quote]
Pop_Smith (Senior Member) 6 March 2007 11:26
Microsuck is just jealous because Google is going to over take them as the biggest company in the world. :P [ + quote]
georgeluv (Member) 6 March 2007 12:52
Originally posted by Pop_Smith: Microsuck is just jealous because Google is going to over take them as the biggest company in the world. :P if you measure size by monotary worth than coca cola is the biggest, followed by m$. [ + quote]
Mr-Movies (Member) 6 March 2007 15:18
You know what they say Thomas "If you don't like the heat get out of the kitchen". What�s next blame piracy for slumping sales on Vista, oh sh*t that�s right he's already done that.... Too funny! It might not be long before Thomas is looking for a new company to burry. [ + quote]
Blackjax (Member) 6 March 2007 19:14
well I have just one thing to say to M$...... Have coke and a smile and shut the F up already! [ + quote]
coleken3 (Newbie) 7 March 2007 1:18
Microsoft is jealous. They had global domination now well thats all changing in front of their eyes. I like what Mr-Movies said "You know what they say Thomas "If you don't like the heat get out of the kitchen". What�s next blame piracy for slumping sales on Vista, oh sh*t that�s right he's already done that.... Too funny! It might not be long before Thomas is looking for a new company to burry [ + quote]
almoarr (Newbie) 9 March 2007 12:13
El burro hablando de orejas,meaning "The donkey (microsoft) talking about your big ears", all the big ideas like the mouse on computers and the e-mail,are ideas from Xerox and not from microsoft [ + quote]
KingNot (Newbie) 13 March 2007 17:28
The greedy ones are grasping at straws once again. Every filthy penny that slips through their fingers is like bamboo under the fingernails. Cry me a river, Mr. Gates so I can relieve myself in it. [ + quote]