GOOGLE NEWS IN DOCK FOR COPYRIGHT INFRINGEMENT

CNN reports that French newservice Agence France Press is suing Google over its inclusion of AFP’s contents and pictures in its Google News service. The French service charges a subscription fee for access to its services and is claiming copyright infringement in the Columbia District Court. Google has said that it gives publishers the opportunity to opt out of Google News, but most choose not to.

The IPKat wonders whether actions like this will do for the sharing of news over the internet what RIAA’s lawsuits did for file-sharing.

Bad news here and here