{"id":162699,"date":"2019-09-17T18:10:45","date_gmt":"2019-09-17T10:10:45","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.geek.com\/featured\/-1804226\/"},"modified":"2019-09-17T18:10:45","modified_gmt":"2019-09-17T10:10:45","slug":"audible-claps-back-at-publishers-over-copyright-infringement","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/itteacheritfreelance.hk\/test\/wordpress\/2019\/09\/17\/audible-claps-back-at-publishers-over-copyright-infringement\/","title":{"rendered":"Audible Claps Back at Publishers Over Copyright Infringement"},"content":{"rendered":"
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(via sik-life\/Pixabay)<\/div>\n<\/figure>\n

In August, seven major book publishers sued Audible<\/a> over a new caption feature they claim infringes on copyright law.<\/span><\/p>\n

An Audible countersuit, filed last week<\/a>, however, argues that the technology is “quintessential fair use.”<\/span><\/p>\n

Introduced in July, Audible Captions aims to enhance the literacy experience by allowing listeners to follow along with “a few lines of text.”<\/span><\/p>\n

“We developed this technology because we believe our culture, particularly in under-resourced environments, is at risk of losing a significant portion of the next generation of book readers,” CEO Don Katz wrote in a summer announcement.<\/span><\/p>\n

A sentiment with which I’m sure the Association of American Publishers (AAP), on behalf of its member companies, agrees.<\/span><\/p>\n

It’s the underhanded way Audible approached the feature that publishers are not on board with.<\/span><\/p>\n

The August lawsuit claims “willful copyright infringement,” and highlights Audible’s alleged efforts to “take for itself cross-format features” without authorization from, compensation to, or quality control by intellectual property owners.<\/span><\/p>\n

Chronicle Books, Hachette Book Group, HarperCollins Publishers, Macmillan Publishing Group, Penguin Random House, Scholastic, and Simon & Schuster argue that Audible is effectively distributing ebooks alongside audio files\u2014which normally requires a separate license and additional royalty payments.<\/span><\/p>\n

Audible clapped back, asserting that it has agreements with each plaintiff, and has paid, and will continue to pay, royalties and license fees for audiobooks.<\/span><\/p>\n

“Audible Captions is not a book of any kind, much less a replacement for paper books, ebooks, or cross-format products,” the Amazon-owned company said. “The goal is simple: to help listeners understand and engage with the audiobook they purchased.”<\/span><\/p>\n

Audible already provides simultaneous text and audio via “Immersion Reading” (read along with the ebook as you listen to the audiobook)\u2014with the AAP said operates lawfully, and without errors.<\/span><\/p>\n

More on Geek.com:<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n