The Electronic Frontier Foundation supports the 'electronic library' sued by a major publisher for copyright infringement, and the debate over whether a library in the digital world will hold is heated.

In June 2020, the Internet Archive , a non-profit organization that records, stores, and publishes various digital media such as websites, released an electronic library that allows users to browse 1.4 million digital books for free. I was sued by a major publisher for copyright infringement. In July 2022, the Electronic Frontier Foundation , a non-profit organization to protect free speech in the digital world, issued a document in support of the Internet Archive allegations, claiming to 'maintain the library of the digital world.' I submitted it.

Publisher's lawsuit seeks to take down Internet Archive's digital lending library --World Socialist Web Site
https://www.wsws.org/en/articles/2022/07/14/cucd-j14.html

Tell HN: Internet Archive is facing a Big 4 Publishers lawsuit | Hacker News
https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=32141358

Internet Archive has been running a program to lend digitally scanned data of physical books for 10 years, but basically only one book can be borrowed by this program, and it is necessary to return it within a certain period of time. Or, even though it was a digital book, it was necessary to wait for it to be returned as 'on loan' like a real library. However, most libraries were closed due to the spread of the new coronavirus, and the Internet Archive will be able to read up to 10 digital books for free in March 2020 without waiting. Library (National Emergency Library) 'has been released. Many of the books were not out of copyright and were lent out without permission, so four major publishers said, 'The digital library of the Internet Archive infringes the copyright.' I appealed to the local court.

'A digital library of Internet archives that can read about 1.4 million books for free is a copyright infringement,' the publisher complains-GIGAZINE

In response to the lawsuit, Brewster Kahle, the operator of the Internet Archive, commented, 'The digital library of the Internet Archive only lends books as a library like a normal library.' In addition, the proceedings of the proceedings by this major publisher have been pointed out that 'publishers are trying to make the library a'reading service'by using a pandemic and squeeze profits', and there is concern that the significance of the library will be shaken by the proceedings. Was also up.

The greatness of the library that 'leave the culture for posterity' and 'anyone can read books freely' is about to be lost by the publisher --GIGAZINE

The Internet Archive has filed a petition in federal court in New York to dismiss the publisher's allegations that the proceeding was 'an attempt to criminalize the lending of books by the library.' In addition, on July 8, 2022, the Electronic Frontier Foundation submitted a summary to the federal court in support of the Internet Archive allegations: 'The Internet Archive Managed Digital Lending Program is a Fair Use Subject to Copyright Law. Within the scope of, the library lending service in the digital world is sustainable. '

The Digital Frontier Foundation has harmed the real book market due to the fact that 'when the title in question was removed from the online library, print sales were slightly worse than other books.' Claiming no, the major publishers suing have shown that they have not lost profits from digital libraries.

Publishers' lawsuits are often criticized for 'attacking the principle of library lending,' while Hacker News has similarly endorsed digital libraries in this case, while 'Internet archives are copyright. It's legally dishonest and only recognized by its practicality as rational. '' Changing the law by breaking it is reckless, even if it's happened in history. I think it's a plan, 'and other criticisms of the Internet archives have been gathered, and discussions about digital libraries and copyright law are heated.