Media exposure of rampant Google Books and ebook piracy has been going on for so long now.
One would think that Google could have taken some simple remedial measures by now.
But no, judging from this article in the NYT, Rousting the Book Pirates From Google, not a lot has changed.
Google is still doing very little to protect authors.
Google Books piracy
Dutch anti-piracy group BREIN has taken Google to court.
It’s an effort to force Google to hand over the personal details of one pirate.
The pirate was (is still perhaps?) selling pirated ebooks on Google Play.
Google is fighting this. Why?
There was a lot of coverage of the Google Books piracy issue and the problem expanding into Google Play ebooks.
It was mentioned in an article in the International Business Times, Ebook piracy running rampant on Google Play.
Around the same time, The Digital Reader posted this piece:
Google Play Books is a Safe Haven for Commercial eBook Piracy.
It included the names, with links, of the Google Books and Google Play ebook pirates.
But all to no avail, it seems.
At the time the article was written, it included this list of well-known Google Books and ebook pirates:
Huzur Burda
Dogukan Akbulut
Kazam Butur
Bestsellers – Books USA Press
Asama Davran
Samar Dana
JAMAL KASA
Zara Hakan
Global Dogan
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Update: Google killed some of those accounts. Here’s a new list:
Bestsellers – Books USA Press
Dedem Adam (en español)
Duhyu Aban
Kansa Zera
Ahban Azer
Cather Danus
Ahacan Kanat
Best Book
Hamdi Yazar
Sahin Akbulut
Devad Akbak
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Related reading: Counterfeit Books on Amazon
The Google Book and ebook piracy returns!
Unfortunately, it would seem that Google Books and ebook piracy is not so easily dissuaded.
In the list above, it indicates that one pirate, Dogukan Akbulut, was removed by Google.
But this pirate is back in action again.
When I checked yesterday, I found two of MY books appearing for sale on Google Books under his name!
Okay, this one has a very old cover version, but I think my name is clear enough on it.
I immediately lodged a complaint with Google, but of course, received an automated reply:
We have received your legal request. We receive many such complaints each day; your message is in our queue, and we’ll get to it as quickly as our workload permits.
Google Books piracy continues unabated, and it says a lot about Google’s attitude towards this form of criminality.
It has the means, but seemingly, not the will to combat piracy and plagiarism, which Amazon, Apple, and many other tech companies take very seriously.
KDP Select authors know too well how easy it is for Amazon to track ebooks.
So it is possible, easily done, yet for all of Google’s technological power, it, unlike Amazon, refuse to use it.
Problems with Google Books piracy have been highlighted for a very long time now, so there is no excuse.
Google is continuing to protect pirates by not taking firm action against digital piracy.
If you find your book or books have been pirated on Google Books or Google Play, all you can do is lodge a complaint with Google.
But don’t expect a lot of action from them to protect your rights, as they have been infamously very slow to react to protect authors for years.
If you have never listed your paperbacks on Google Books, or published on Google Play, perhaps think twice before you do.
Because once you have, Google does little to protect you and your book rights when it comes to book and ebook piracy.
Updates:
Update: Google has closed its Google Play Books to new publishers. It is unsure when it will reopen, but hopefully,
Google is taking this step to address piracy on its platform. But I am not holding my breath as my own book is, after more than two years, STILL available via a pirate!!
Update: Google Play is now open again for new publishers.
Related reading: Ebook Piracy Is Rampant And Impossible To Stop
I was under the assumption that if your request is legit and is ignored then the content host is liable…SMALL CLAIMS COURT FOLKS. Google cannot bring attorneys into the court unless it reaches several appeals from what i understand.
Nevertheless. The first thing I would do is LEAVE A 1 STAR REVIEW AND TELL FORMER BUYERS OF THE PIRACY. Perhaps even offer a legit digital copy if they agree to complain and do a charge back. That’s more hassle for Google than your toothless DMCA request I would gather. ???
Hi Douglas
How is it going? I will soon publish my book and I am wondering if its safe now on Google. I checked for your book and could find only one, february fifth, seems your official offer. I am living in CH too, by the way.
Is it racist to note that so many of these people have Asian names? LOL
Yes, probably. :) But I don’t think Bestsellers – Books USA Press, Best Book or Global Dogan qualify as Asian. I would have though Captain Hook might have been a popular bogus name though for one of these thieves. I think the pirate list here is from all parts of the world. And who would use their real name anyway?