7.Sep.2009 | Maria Thurrell
Do you trust Google with our literary heritage?
I’ve been reading a lot of articles recently about Google and it’s project to add millions of digital books to it’s free library. This project would allow anyone with an internet connection access to thousands of books that have previously only been found in the back corners of libraries. It would also give Google control over much of our literary heritage. While I love the idea of access for all, and using technology to give people access to information they otherwise wouldn’t have, I also fear monopolies. I can’t claim to understand the legal implication enough to come down strongly on one side or the other. But this is definitely a debate to watch.
According to a great article in The Observer, Judge Chin will be making a momentus decision about this tomorrow.
I’ve also been reading articles about Amazon’s protests. Are these due to real concern for monopoly or the money they know they will lose in Kindle sales if Google is allowed to go forward with this? I think it is probably a combination of both.
I think this situation exemplifies a conundrum that comes up a lot with the Internet, and will continue to be an issues, possibly forever — how much power are we willing to give up for unfettered access to information? Will there ever be a solution for access that doesn’t require entrusting power to someone else? I would love to know what you all think about this. Both the situation with Google, and the broader issue of access and power.
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