Share

Google faces China lawsuit

Beijing - A Chinese novelist is suing Google Inc. over its project to scan books into its online library.

Mian Mian, a counterculture writer known for her lurid tales of sex, drugs and nightlife, filed suit in October after the U.S. search giant scanned her latest book, "Acid House," into its library.

The two sides were due in a Beijing court on Tuesday, said her lawyer, Sun Jingwei. He said the author wants damages of 61 000 yuan ($8 950) and a public apology.

A Google spokesperson in Beijing, Marsha Wang, said the company removed Mian Mian's works from its library as soon as it learned of the lawsuit. Wang said Google had no further comment on the suit.

Google's ambitious effort to make printed works available online has faced opposition from writers in the United States, Europe and elsewhere.

In China, a government-affiliated group, the China Written Works Copyright Society, is calling on Google to negotiate compensation for Chinese authors whose work is scanned into its library.

Mian Mian, who lives in Shanghai, shot to fame in 2000 when she published the novel "Candy," which caused a stir with its graphic depiction of heroin use. Most of her work is banned in China, though pirated copies are widely available.

Google, based in Mountain View, California, negotiated a $125m settlement last year with American authors and publishers. It is waiting for final court approval after objections by US regulators and other companies that said it might hurt the growth of the electronic book market.

The Chinese writers' group said Monday it has found more than 80 000 works by Chinese authors scanned into the library. The group said it would hold talks with Google in January on resolving the dispute.

- AP

We live in a world where facts and fiction get blurred
Who we choose to trust can have a profound impact on our lives. Join thousands of devoted South Africans who look to News24 to bring them news they can trust every day. As we celebrate 25 years, become a News24 subscriber as we strive to keep you informed, inspired and empowered.
Join News24 today
heading
description
username
Show Comments ()
Rand - Dollar
18.96
-0.3%
Rand - Pound
23.95
-0.2%
Rand - Euro
20.48
-0.1%
Rand - Aus dollar
12.36
-0.1%
Rand - Yen
0.13
-0.4%
Platinum
911.60
+1.6%
Palladium
1,012.97
+1.1%
Gold
2,216.03
+1.0%
Silver
24.89
+1.0%
Brent Crude
86.09
-0.2%
Top 40
68,346
+1.0%
All Share
74,536
+0.9%
Resource 10
57,251
+2.9%
Industrial 25
103,936
+0.6%
Financial 15
16,502
-0.1%
All JSE data delayed by at least 15 minutes Iress logo
Company Snapshot
Editorial feedback and complaints

Contact the public editor with feedback for our journalists, complaints, queries or suggestions about articles on News24.

LEARN MORE
Government tenders

Find public sector tender opportunities in South Africa here.

Government tenders
This portal provides access to information on all tenders made by all public sector organisations in all spheres of government.
Browse tenders