Internet Archive's digital book lending violates copyright, US judge rules

A U.S. court ruled that the Internet Archive infringed copyright by digitally scanning and lending protected books, rejecting its claim of fair use. The judge determined that creating digital copies for bulk lending lacks the necessary transformation, effectively replacing licensed traditional library transactions without authorization. This decision highlights the legal tension between expanding digital access and respecting intellectual property rights. By denying the nonprofit’s "controlled digital lending" model, the ruling reinforces publishers’ exclusive rights to authorize digital distribution, challenging the sustainability of large-scale unlicensed digitization projects. The case is crucial for open data and digital preservation communities, as it sets a precedent for the legality of scanning copyrighted works. It underscores the risks inherent in creating open digital repositories of currently protected materials, warning that such initiatives may face severe legal consequences unless they strictly adhere to existing copyright frameworks.

Source: digbycourier.ca
Published on 2025-06-02

Internet Archive's digital book lending violates copyright, US judge rules

Related news