Google News blocked by Belgians

Copiepresse, an organisation that manages copyright for the French and German-speaking press in Belgium, hauled Google News before the beak, claiming it was infringing upon its copyright.

According to the Guardian, the court agreed saying that Google must pay a fine of 1m euros (£675,000) a day if it does not do as it is told.

So far Google has not done much to stop its searching. Links and summaries of articles in Belgian newspapers such as La Derniere Heure, La Libre Belgique and Le Soir are visible on Google's Belgian website.

Copiepresse says it wants dosh and for Google to seek permission to use its content because the outfit makes money from advertising based on showing its stories. It is possible that Copiepresse, or its equivalents, might take similar action elsewhere in the EU.

However, a spokesGoogle said that the ruling was flawed and it intended to appeal.

Apparently the court relied on the testimony of Luc Golvers, a computer consultant, who told the court that Google News must be considered an information portal rather than a search engine.

He reckoned that cached versions of news articles can be seen using Google servers even after the articles are no longer being posted on a newspaper's website. This 'evidence' was news to Google, which does not have cached versions. µ

L'INQ
Manchester Grauniad