Media
Belgium: Ignoring reality since 1830
Despite the headline on this post, I have nothing against Belgium as a country. I am a big fan of their waffles, for example, not to mention their chocolate — and Brueghels is pretty cool as well. Still, they are inescapably intertwined in my mind with one of the stupidest lawsuits I can think of in the “new media” sphere (and that includes Viacom’s lawsuit against YouTube): a Belgian media agency, Copiepresse — which represents some of the country’s French papers — is suing Google for linking to its content, and is asking for $77-million in damages. I am not making this up.
The lawsuit was filed in 2006, and Google lost the case in Belgium — as well as a subsequent appeal — and had to remove links to some Belgian newspaper content from its Google News index. At some point after that, it seemed as though the geniuses at Copiepresse realized how their “victory” was anything but, and talks between Google and the agency aimed at a settlement of some kind took place for awhile. Those talks have apparently fallen through and the group is now pressing forward with its suit, like someone who is determined to saw through the tree branch that they happen to be sitting on.
I know that some people are probably going to start arguing with me in the comments, so before you do, I encourage you to read up about the case — including some of my previous posts on the topic. As far as I can tell, Google’s use of excerpts from news stories meets (or should meet) every test of “fair use” imaginable — except perhaps in Belgium — especially since the company makes no money from advertising on Google News pages. On top of all that, linking enhances the value of newspaper content by exposing it to a broader audience. Belgium’s French newspapers should be thanking Google, not suing it.
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Since I've never personally visited Belgium, I'm inclined to believe that rumor!
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however, and can tell you that it does in fact exist -- and the
waffles are fantastic. They invented French fries as well,
apparently, so they've got that going for them.
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that one. My suspicion is that they *do* want them linked to -- they
just want Google to pay them for the privilege of doing so.
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Agreed, Copiepresse, is acting in a difficult to understand way. One suspects this is the result of a non-savvy senior manager who is out of touch with the on-line world. But this is one medium sized company!
And no one would deny that Belgium has problems by the sackful: a language divide that splits a country, that is smaller than most US states, into two highly antagonistic sides; a wonky tax system; and a bureaucracy that has borrowed far too much nonsense from the French.
But, the Belgians did not judge all Americans by Enron or Worldcom. And they are trying desperately hard not to judge you and your fellow Americans by your president.
By way of apology for slandering Belgium, I might normally insist you buy me a beer and beg forgiveness. But face it, your American beer simply doesn't compare to the hundreds of yummy varieties here!
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compliments to Belgium for its waffles etc. It was meant to be
humorous, although that attempt appears to have failed :-)
In any case, I feel compelled to point out that I am not American but
Canadian -- and therefore am quite used to people ignoring and/or
misrepresenting my country in various ways (igloos, Mounties, etc.).
Thanks for the comment.
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