Google Loses Cache-Copyright Lawsuit in Belgium

acroyear writes "A court in Belgium has found that Google's website caching policies are a violation of that nation's copyright laws. The finding is that Google's cache offers effectively free access to articles that, while free initially, are archived and charged for via subscriptions. Google claims that they only store short extracts, but the court determined that's still a violation. From the court's ruling: 'It would be up to copyright owners to get in touch with Google by e-mail to complain if the site was posting content that belonged to them. Google would then have 24 hours to withdraw the content or face a daily fine of 1,000 euros ($1,295 U.S.).'"

Comments

Re:That's unfortunate

[mikkelm]

Hey, that's a great idea.

If you don't want your music copied, don't release it.

If you don't want your book copied, don't release it.

If you don't want your trademarks infringed, don't publicise them.

If you don't want to be robbed, don't walk the streets at night.

Don't complain if you actually decide to do any of these things, 'cause you gave people the opportunity to abuse it.

some statements from belgian media

[circletimessquare]

http://www.gva.be/nieuws/politiek/

Vlaams Belang voert de strijd op tegen het uitsluiten van zijn kandidaten en militanten door de vakbonden. Zo verklaarde Marie-Rose Morel, voorzitster van de vakbondcel binnen de partij.
Er lopen vier procedures, waarvan er één morgen/woensdag wordt ingeleid te Dendermonde.

Deze procedure werd door een ex-werknemer van Volkswagen Vorst ingeleid. Onder meer ABVV-voorzitter Rudy De Leeuw en zijn ACV-collega Luc Cortebeeck werden gedaagvaard.
De ex-werknemer neemt het niet dat hij kort voor de dreigende sluiting van VW uit het ABVV gezet werd en dat die bond zijn gegevens doorgaf aan het ACV.

Daarnaast lopen nog twee procedures voor de privacycommissie, een eerste voor het doorgeven van gegevens aan andere vakbonden, een tweede omdat een Vlaams Belanglid uit de vakbond gesloten werd hoewel hij reeds 12 jaar geen lid meer was.
Volgens Morel is het feit dat de vakbonden gegevens doorgeven van uitsloten Vlaams Belangers in strijd met de privacywetgeving. In het verleden werden de vakbonden door de commissie reeds veroordeeld wegens het opstellen van lijsten, merkte het hoofd van de Juridische Dienst, Jurgen Ceder, op.

Morel wees er ook op dat vakbonden niet gelijkgesteld worden met gewone verenigingen omdat ze ook oveheidstaken uitvoeren.

oh no! what have i done!

i guess my next trip to antwerp i'll be sued :-(

you belgians better not read this comment, you're helping me break the law

Ep...!?

[Anonymous Coward]

stea3ily fucking we get there wit h

The Internet, RIP

[Anonymous Coward]

Made in USA, 1969. Destroyed in Europe, 2007.

But how will Belgians get their daily kiddie porn fix now?

Re:So no "fair dealing" or "fair use" in Belgium?

[pla]

I thought the whole EU had some sort of "fair dealing" exemptions. If they do, I can't believe that Google's lawyers lost this.

Except that Google exists as a primarily American company, a "condition" as dangerous as the traditional Mafia "kiss of death" in any EU court.

Just look at the fun Microsoft has had with them...
"Roll over!"
"okay..."
"Play dead!"
[drool drool drool]
"open your formats"
"here, have the goddamned sourcecode and leave us alone!"
"not good enough, write your competitors' products or we'll fine you!"



Cheese-eating surrender- monkeys, indeed.

The EU

[sean_ex_machina]

Does the EU actually do anything these days aside from suing American companies for daring to do business in Europe?

Oh, wait, that's because harassing American companies is about the only thing all the members are ever able to agree on. Duh.

Instead of Delisting them

[timias1]

Google should move their sites to the top in listings such as:
Crybabies
Technologically Inept
Failed Business Plan
Silly Europeans