Microsoft says Google book settlement is unconstitutional, anti-competitive

Microsoft is crying foul over a recently proposed deal that would give Google access to millions of digitized books.

Microsoft is crying foul over a recently proposed deal that would give Google access to millions of digitized books, calling it an "anti-competitive" action that would create "a monopoly in digital books."

The company argues that the deal goes against the U.S. Constitution because the Constitution grants copyright power to Congress, not to the judicial branch.

Many interested parties have risen up against the deal, including the EFF and Bruce Schneier.

Why does Microsoft care? If you said "Because it would really like to do the same thing," I would say "Bing-o."

The company's complaint says it also cares because it is a publisher of books, but that naturally pales in comparison to the opportunity to be a fly in Google's ointment once more.

You can read the full complaint here.

-- Jeff Caruso

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• Google Book Search
• legal issues
• Microsoft