The 2015 Gerd Agreement: What It Means for Publishers and Authors

In 2015, a major agreement was reached on the issue of how Google and publishers of online content could work together. The agreement, known as the Google-European Publishers Council (EPC) Gerd Agreement, had far-reaching implications for content creators and distributors.

The background to the agreement was the long-running dispute between Google and publishers over the use of copyrighted material. Publishers were concerned that Google was displaying their content without their permission, thereby depriving them of potential revenue. Google responded by arguing that it was fundamentally a search engine, and that it was helping to drive traffic to publishers` sites.

After lengthy negotiations, the Gerd Agreement was reached, and it represented a significant compromise between the two parties. The agreement allowed Google to display snippets of publishers` content in its search results, but only with the publishers` explicit permission. Publishers were given the option to either allow Google to display these snippets for free, or to negotiate a fee for their use.

In addition, the agreement also created a framework for publishers to use Google`s advertising platform, AdSense. Under the agreement, publishers could use AdSense to monetize their content, and Google would share the revenue generated with them. This represented a major new revenue stream for publishers, and helped to ease their concerns about the use of their content.

The Gerd Agreement has been hailed as a landmark agreement in the ongoing debate over copyright and online content. It represents a pragmatic approach to the issue, allowing publishers to maintain control over their content while at the same time benefiting from Google`s vast audience. It also provides a model for future negotiations over similar issues.

For publishers, the Gerd Agreement means that they have more control over their content and can earn revenue from its use. For authors, it means that their work is more likely to be properly attributed and that they may earn royalties if their content is used. Overall, the Gerd Agreement is a positive development for the online content industry, and one that is likely to have a lasting impact.