Content Matters

Google VP of Content Partnerships David Eun posted a position statement to the Google Blog this week, restating and summarizing Google's positions vis-a-vis copyrights and its relationship with content providers.

The statement was made largely in response to the recent Belgian newspaper ruling, but also in response to general concerns by publishers about their relationship with Google.

The key points he hits on include:

1. Google respects copyright law
2. Google offers publishers the ability to opt-out
3. Google looks to partner with content providers to generate revenues together

In a jab to the newspapers, Google analogizes its excerpting of news articles to the way that newspapers excerpt books in their reviews.  Ouch.
Google reiterates that they are not in the content creation business and that they help bring together consumers and creators of content.

I think recent offerings like Google News Archive Search demonstrate that Google is generating more opportunities for content provider than they might be hurting.  Content providers who learn to embrace Google will thrive, while those who wish to fight them will find themselves missing out on huge opportunities.

John Battelle summarizes Google's position clearly as "I sense that Google is starting to truly declare its position relative to content creation companies, and it's this: we're not in your business, and won't be. We might impact your business, and in significant ways, but you can't sue us for that, brother. Now, let's go make tons of money, together....and if our margins are higher than yours, well, that's not our fault...."