Perfect 10 Wins Injunction Against Google

February 21, 2006 · by · in Copyright, Derivative Liability, Search Engines

By Eric Goldman

Perfect 10 v. Google, Inc., CV 04-9484 AMH (C.D. Cal. Feb. 17, 2006)

A major new ruling in the running battle over search engines and copyrights–this time concluding that Google’s creation and display of thumbnail images may constitute direct infringement. I’m working under a deadline, so I don’t have time to digest the opinion immediately. However, I have three immediate thoughts:

1) I wonder how this opinion can be reconciled with the recent Field v. Google opinion upholding Google’s “cache” feature?

2) I assume this ruling will put significant pressure on Google’s position regarding Google book search.

3) I assume that Google will appeal this, so we may get an interesting Ninth Circuit ruling.

More to come later…