The Internet Archive has lost the appeal for its landmark copyright case, agreeing to pay an undisclosed amount to publishers

SoftwareThe Internet Archive has lost the appeal for its landmark copyright case, agreeing to pay an undisclosed amount to publishersWhen you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.

When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.

(Image credit: Getty / Colors Hunter)

In March 2023, the landmark caseHachette Book Group Inc. v. Internet Archiveruled in Hachett’s favour. Now, over a year into an appeals process, the Internet Archive’s appeal has been shut down.

The National Emergency Library, as this scheme was called, operated from March 24 to June 2020, providing a “temporary collection of books that supported emergency remote teaching, research activities, independent scholarship, and intellectual stimulation”.

Previously, digital versions of these ebooks would represent physical copies it had access to. You could put your name down on a waiting list, where users would essentially share access to the digital representation of the book. A ticketing system was put in place for users to read the ebook copies of them.

However, when the waitlist restriction was removed in early 2020, Hachette Book Group sued the Internet Archive, claiming doing so constitutes copyright infringement.

Many publishers and authors argued this was “tantamount to piracy”, and the Internet Archive has made an agreement to pay an undisclosed amount to the publishers whose books were replicated during the months. This decision has been met with ire (as the replies to this post show), as providing educational tools for free can stop the often prohibitively expensive barriers of getting your own.

As someone who did Law as part of my degree, I can attest that paying hundreds for books as a student is nearly infeasible. Though this case is now effectively over, The Internet Archive has seen huge swathes of support online for its efforts since early 2020.

The biggest gaming news, reviews and hardware deals

Though the decision does seem to be thecorrectone, in a legal sense, it’s hard not to lament the further sheltering of texts that could serve to help many with their education. Fundamentally, books used to educate people serve a different purpose to those used to entertain primarily, yet that distinction is always that important in a legal context.

Hopefully, the broader societal pushback around this case will push publishers into being a bit more “generous” with the works currently being hoarded.

For when you need to archive your dataBest SSD for gaming: The best speedy storage today.Best NVMe SSD: Compact M.2 drives.Best external hard drive: Huge capacities for less.Best external SSD: Plug-in storage upgrades.

For when you need to archive your data

Best SSD for gaming: The best speedy storage today.Best NVMe SSD: Compact M.2 drives.Best external hard drive: Huge capacities for less.Best external SSD: Plug-in storage upgrades.

More about software

Nvidia’s AI assistant named Project G-Assist

Nvidia’s impressive AI-based computer tuneup tool G-Assist launches next month but the best bit is missing

LatestAsus reveals three new Slash Travel Bags for carting around your ROG Ally—however, none of them are particularly fashion forwardSee more latest►

Latest

Asus reveals three new Slash Travel Bags for carting around your ROG Ally—however, none of them are particularly fashion forward

Three of Asus ROG’s fourth generation Slash bags float in a blue-magenta gradient void. The backpack, sling bag, and sleeve all feature a black all-over colourway with an indent design on the bottom left corner of each bag that looks a bit like tire tracks.

Asus reveals three new Slash Travel Bags for carting around your ROG Ally—however, none of them are particularly fashion forward

See more latest►

Most PopularAlan Emrich, the game designer and writer who coined the term ‘4X,’ has diedTrack down a missing person in this ‘Geoguessr-inspired detective game’ set on an alien planetOld meets new as classic MMO players worship a famous Vtuber via gifts of bones so she can max out the Prayer skillHyper Light Breaker will cost $30 and for a limited time come with a free copy of DrifterFallout season 2 filming delayed due to massive LA firesAssassin’s Creed Shadows is delayed again ‘to better incorporate player feedback gathered over the past three months’The Freewrite Wordrunner with a built-in word counter might be the keyboard to look out for if you want to improve your writing process’I created it, let me move on’: Ex-Cloud 9 player, the Overwatch team whose blunder inspired the infamous ‘C9’ slang, watches in horror as the term moves onto Marvel RivalsLenovo’s rollable laptop screen isn’t just a CES party trick—you’ll be able to pick one up yourself in JuneNvidia CEO Jen-Hsun Huang’s simple reminder that useful quantum computing is a long way off has somehow caused industry stocks to plummetAfter 15 years, Minecraft has finally added two new pig variations: The warm pig and the cold pig, meaning I can delete one mod off my list

Most Popular

Alan Emrich, the game designer and writer who coined the term ‘4X,’ has died

Track down a missing person in this ‘Geoguessr-inspired detective game’ set on an alien planet

Old meets new as classic MMO players worship a famous Vtuber via gifts of bones so she can max out the Prayer skill

Hyper Light Breaker will cost $30 and for a limited time come with a free copy of Drifter

Fallout season 2 filming delayed due to massive LA fires

Assassin’s Creed Shadows is delayed again ‘to better incorporate player feedback gathered over the past three months’

The Freewrite Wordrunner with a built-in word counter might be the keyboard to look out for if you want to improve your writing process

‘I created it, let me move on’: Ex-Cloud 9 player, the Overwatch team whose blunder inspired the infamous ‘C9’ slang, watches in horror as the term moves onto Marvel Rivals

Lenovo’s rollable laptop screen isn’t just a CES party trick—you’ll be able to pick one up yourself in June

Nvidia CEO Jen-Hsun Huang’s simple reminder that useful quantum computing is a long way off has somehow caused industry stocks to plummet

After 15 years, Minecraft has finally added two new pig variations: The warm pig and the cold pig, meaning I can delete one mod off my list

HARDWARE BUYING GUIDESLATEST GAME REVIEWS1Best Steam Deck accessories in Australia for 2025: Our favorite docks, powerbanks and gamepads2Best graphics card for laptops: the mobile GPUs I’d want in my next gaming laptop3Best mini PCs in 2025: The compact computers I love the most4Best 14-inch gaming laptop: The top compact gaming laptops I’ve held in these hands5Best Mini-ITX motherboards in 2025: My pick from all the mini mobo marvels I’ve tested1Thank Goodness You’re Here! review: An anarchic treasure trove of jokes and skits2Shiren the Wanderer: The Mystery Dungeon of Serpentcoil Island review—like juggling chainsaws on horseback3WD Black SN850X 8 TB NVMe SSD review4Ikea Utespelare desk review5Asus ROG Harpe Ace Mini wireless mouse review

HARDWARE BUYING GUIDESLATEST GAME REVIEWS

1Best Steam Deck accessories in Australia for 2025: Our favorite docks, powerbanks and gamepads

A bunch of the best Steam Deck accessories on a blue background.

1Best Steam Deck accessories in Australia for 2025: Our favorite docks, powerbanks and gamepads

Best Steam Deck accessories in Australia for 2025: Our favorite docks, powerbanks and gamepads

2Best graphics card for laptops: the mobile GPUs I’d want in my next gaming laptop

Best graphics card for laptops: the mobile GPUs I’d want in my next gaming laptop

3Best mini PCs in 2025: The compact computers I love the most

Best mini PCs in 2025: The compact computers I love the most

4Best 14-inch gaming laptop: The top compact gaming laptops I’ve held in these hands

Best 14-inch gaming laptop: The top compact gaming laptops I’ve held in these hands

5Best Mini-ITX motherboards in 2025: My pick from all the mini mobo marvels I’ve tested

Best Mini-ITX motherboards in 2025: My pick from all the mini mobo marvels I’ve tested

1Thank Goodness You’re Here! review: An anarchic treasure trove of jokes and skits

Thank Goodness You’re Here review

1Thank Goodness You’re Here! review: An anarchic treasure trove of jokes and skits

Thank Goodness You’re Here! review: An anarchic treasure trove of jokes and skits

2Shiren the Wanderer: The Mystery Dungeon of Serpentcoil Island review—like juggling chainsaws on horseback

Shiren the Wanderer: The Mystery Dungeon of Serpentcoil Island review—like juggling chainsaws on horseback

3WD Black SN850X 8 TB NVMe SSD review

WD Black SN850X 8 TB NVMe SSD review

4Ikea Utespelare desk review

Ikea Utespelare desk review

5Asus ROG Harpe Ace Mini wireless mouse review

Asus ROG Harpe Ace Mini wireless mouse review

The biggest gaming news, reviews and hardware deals#

The biggest gaming news, reviews and hardware deals