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Google Cache Raises Copyright Concerns?
from the with-who? dept
Making a story out of nothing, the folks at News.com have decided to write a long report on the issue of whether or not Google's cache violates copyright law. It might be an interesting issue if someone was complaining about it - but no one is. Most people understand the cache for what it is, and realize that it's useful some of the times. They also know that, if they don't want their material cached, they just need to let Google know with a tag on their site. Seems pretty straight forward. Of course, with the rising Google-backlash going on, I imagine some angry anti-Googler will take this story and try to build a lawsuit out of it. The legal issues, however, are far from clear. While people say that, technically, the cache may violate copyright laws, so, then would everyone visiting a website that they don't own the copyright to - since the content is temporarily cached on your hard drive. It seems like this is a pretty clear case of fair use rights, and the story is making a big deal out of nothing.
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been there, done that
Google was sued several years ago over this exact thing - courts decided it was ok so long as they didn't cache entire cases or full size images.
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No Subject Given
It's like I always say, if you don't want people downloading it, copying it, using it, or seeing it in any way forever, don't put it on the web at all. Think of the security of the printed word. It's incredible when you think about it.
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copyright
well two things that sort of bother me about google's caching/spidering:
1) it works on opt-out rather than opt-in. As a web-reader I like it the way it is, as a web-master it can be annoying.
2) they spider places that are *not linked* on the internet, and then cache those areas. For instance, if you only linked to content at techdirt.com/content/... they would try spidering techdirt.com/ anyways. I suspect this is how they end up with password files and other embarrasing items. I think it's a little invasive to spider something that isn't linked on the internet, then to cache it.
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