Amazon Says “No” to Google
Amazon.com balked at rival Google Inc.’s request for book scanning data, when it responded this week that it would not provide information the search engine giant had requested via subpoena earlier this month.
According to published reports by the Associated Press, Amazon, the world’s largest online retailer, filed its objections Monday to the subpoena it was served on Oct. 6. Claiming that revealing the information would expose trade secrets, Amazon was not willing to cooperate.
The Seattle-based online book retailer offers “Search Inside,” a feature that offers customers the ability to search inside of select books that publishers have agreed to show potential purchasers.
Google is seeking details from other industry rivals, who are also engaging in the digital scanning of books to make them searchable, on how their projects operate. The information--including book sales data--was meant to be used by Google in several lawsuits filled against the Internet giant by several publishing houses over the use of copy right material without prior consent for its Google Library project.
In addition to Amazon, Google had requested similar information from the Association of American Publishers, HarperCollins, Holtzbrinck Publishers, Microsoft, Random House and Yahoo.
Despite the report about Amazon, Google’s stock hit an all-time high on Wall Street with stock closing on Monday at $480.78.
