In a move to counter accusations of enabling textbook piracy, Google has requested a Manhattan federal judge to dismiss claims that it facilitated the sale of pirated books through its advertising platform. The tech giant argues it neither controls nor profits directly from the alleged copyright infringements.
Google IP Suit Over Pirated Books : Legal Battle Escalates
The lawsuit, filed in June by prominent textbook publishers Cengage Learning Inc., Macmillan Learning, Macmillan Holdings LLC, Elsevier Inc., Elsevier BV, and McGraw Hill LLC, alleges that Google “knowingly facilitated and profited from the sale of infringing works” through ads linked to pirate websites. The publishers claim that Google’s advertising platform directed users to these unauthorized sites, benefiting financially from the traffic.
Google’s Defense
In a motion to dismiss the case filed Monday, Google countered that it does not supervise or control the content on the websites where pirated textbooks are sold. The company argues that the publishers have failed to provide evidence that Google has direct oversight of these infringing sites or that it benefits financially from the alleged piracy.
