Key DOJ Opinion Due in Google’s Digital Book Deal

The Department of Justice will help finalize the fate of the Google Books battle.

The U.S. Justice Department is expected to file court documents that may help determine the fate of a class-action settlement that would give Google the digital rights to millions of out-of-print books.

Friday is the deadline for Justice to share its findings with U.S. District Judge Denny Chin in New York. The agency has been looking into whether the 10-month-old settlement would thwart competition in the rapidly growing digital book market.

The deal already has drawn harsh criticism from opponents worried about the Internet search leader gaining a monopoly. Ardent supporters of the settlement say it will benefit society by making the information in hard-to-find books available to anyone with an Internet connection.