Google Threatens French Media Ban

another random user writes in with a BBC story about Google's displeasure with proposed French plans to make search engines pay for content. "Google has threatened to exclude French media sites from search results if France goes ahead with plans to make search engines pay for content. In a letter sent to several ministerial offices, Google said such a law 'would threaten its very existence.' French newspaper publishers have been pushing for the law, saying it is unfair that Google receives advertising revenue from searches for news. French Culture Minister Aurelie Filippetti also favors the idea. She told a parliamentary commission it was 'a tool that it seems important to me to develop.'"

De Gaulle

[surfcow]

"How can anyone govern a nation that has two hundred and forty-six different kinds of cheese?"
  -- Charles De Gaulle

I will pay Google to

[future assassin]

remove French news paper content. Seriously just set up a donate link.... WE NEED TO SEE THIS. I got plenty of beer, dope and popcorn ready....

Re:But where to get it

[aicrules]

When you put it that way, it almost seems like an act of war. Given that it is France, U.S. should oblige and land some troops. Should all be over in a matter of minutes and we'll have their unconditional surrender and this silly law will disappear.

Re:But where to get it

[dsvick]

I have always wondered how the Belgians felt about our labeling their dish as "French fries"? If I was Belgian I kind of think that would annoy me.

Yes, but we gave them the credit for those big waffles, so it's all good.