Quantcast
PCWorld.com is upgrading some back-end systems. Some site features, such as user registration, may be temporarily unavailable.
Subscribe to magazine

Google Removing Agence France Presse From Google News

Search giant to drop French news agency after copy-infringement complaints.

Juan Carlos Perez, IDG News Service

  • 0 Yes
  • 0 No

Google is in the process of removing French news agency Agence France Presse (AFP) from its Google News service, which aggregates links to online articles and accompanying photos from about 4500 news outlets.

Google's decision is a direct reaction to a lawsuit AFP filed against the search engine provider alleging copyright infringement over the inclusion of AFP content in Google News, said Steve Langdon, a Google spokesman, on Monday.

Google doesn't have a timetable for when all AFP links and content will be removed from Google News, but the company is actively working on the matter, Langdon said.

"We allow publishers to opt out of Google News. Most, however, want to be included in Google News because they believe it's a benefit to them and their readers," Langdon added, reading from a prepared statement.

Background

AFP sued Mountain View, California-based Google in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia on Thursday of last week. The news agency is seeking to recover damages of at least $17.5 million from Google. AFP also asks the court to forbid Google from including its content in Google News.

An AFP spokesman in the agency's North America headquarters in Washington, D.C., declined to comment on the lawsuit. A copy of the complaint is available online.

  • Recommend this story?
  • 0 Yes
    0 No
 

Deal Breakers

Special Offers for PC World Users

People who read this also read:

  • 15 Minutes to a Secure Business Get the Secure in 15 toolkit starting with the "15 Minutes Month-at-a-Glance" calendar. McAfee will send you additional tools and tricks to stay protected around the clock.
  • A Buyer's Guide to Data Protection Implementing data protection products and processes can be daunting. Make the right decisions by exploring what is available and what makes sense for your organization. Use this simple guide to evaluate different vendor offerings.

Sponsored Links