Forbes contributor Eric Goldman writes that Judge Denny Chin's decision last week that Google's book-scanning project is a fair use under copyright law is a big deal in some ways and a not so big deal in other ways.
Among the ways that the ruling is a big deal:
1. It strengthens Google's position as the go-to search engine.
2. It adds to the canon of search engine law (of which there is not a lot).
Among the ways that the ruling isn't a big deal:
Fair-use rulings are specific to each case so "it would be a mistake to overassume the opinion’s broader implications for fair use on the Internet," Goldman opines.
Lawyer and Legal Journalist
