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Judge Indicates Google Has Not Complied With Paid Blogger Request, Sets Friday Deadline

On Friday, Google and Oracle each told a California court that they did not pay journalists or bloggers for coverage of their lengthy legal battle, after a judge ordered them to disclose if they had d...
Judge Indicates Google Has Not Complied With Paid Blogger Request, Sets Friday Deadline
Written by Chris Crum
  • On Friday, Google and Oracle each told a California court that they did not pay journalists or bloggers for coverage of their lengthy legal battle, after a judge ordered them to disclose if they had done so.

    Google reportedly said in a statement, “Neither Google nor its counsel has paid an author, journalist, commentator or blogger to report or comment on any issues in this case. And neither Google nor its counsel has been involved in any quid pro quo in exchange for coverage or articles about the issues in this case.”

    IDG reports that Monday, the judge said Google has “failed to comply” with the court’s original order.

    Oracle had suggested that Google had a “network of direct and indirect ‘influencers’ to advance Google’s intellectual property agenda.” Even Google had suggested that there could be an indirect financial connection to views expressed, regarding the case from entities like universities, political and trade associations, people who use Google’s ad products on their sites, Google employees, consultants and witnesses, IDG reported. The company maintained that it would be difficult, if not impossible, to provide a complete list of such entities.

    The judge gave Google until Friday to come up with a list, as allowed by a “reasonably diligent search.”

    Essentially, the judge seems to be looking for consultants, contractors, vendors and employees, which Google can easily pinpoint as those who have commented on the case. The company is not expected to account for customers using Google’s ads.

    The case, which has been going on for roughly two years, continues, despite an apparent victory for Google earlier this summer. Oracle still intends to appeal.

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