PARIS - A Paris court today found Google guilty of violating copyright by digitizing books and putting extracts online, following a legal challenge by major French publishers. The court ruled against Google’s French unit after the La Martiniere group argued that publishers and authors were losing out in the latest stage of the digital revolution.

Google was ordered to pay 300,000 euros ($431,700) in damages and interest and to stop reproducing any copyrighted material by French publishers.  Read more…

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Following the enactment of the Enforcement of Intellectual Property Rights Act of 2008 and her nomination in September, Victoria Espinel becomes the United States’ first IP Enforcement Coordinator, or “IPEC” for short.

Large content owners gushed with enthusiasm, making the case that “Intellectual property industries are an essential economic engine to the U.S. economy, and it is critical that the new IP Enforcement Coordinator now be given adequate resources to carry out her new responsibilities.” -MPAA Chairman and CEO Dan Glickman.

“It’s critical she be given the necessary resources to get the job done. Millions of Americans create, market and distribute content for a living. If we don’t address the piracy threat with vigor, cohesiveness and immediacy, we can’t create new jobs. In fact, we’ll lose even more.” -The Walt Disney Company President and CEO Robert A. Iger.

Consumer-oriented Public Knowledge also congratulated Ms. Espinel, stating that “she is well qualified for the position, having served as the assistant U.S. Trade Representative for Intellectual Property and Innovation, and we believe she will be fair in her approach to intellectual property enforcement issues. We look forward to working with her.”–Public Knowledge President Gigi B. Sohn.

Now the interesting question becomes will Congress a) give her the resources and support she needs to do her job and b) what exactly will her job be?

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