Apple Sued For Selling Pirated Books On iBookstore

Apple Inc. is being sued by a group of Chinese writers who recently discovered that the company was illegally selling unlicensed versions of their books through the company’s online iBookstore platform.

The case is a 180 degree turn from the usual pattern of U.S. artists and companies suing Chinese copycats.

Apple has been served with three separate lawsuits filed in the Beijing No. 2 Intermediate Court on behalf of 12 writers who allege that Apple stole 59 titles and then licensed them through the Apple iTunes store.

When combined the three lawsuits are seeking $3.5 million in compensation.

In speaking of the lawsuit Carolyn Wu, a Beijing-based Apple spokesman told the Associated Press:

“As an IP holder ourselves, we understand the importance of protecting intellectual property and when we receive complaints we respond promptly and appropriately.”

The Chinese writers state that despite their lawsuit many titles Apple removed quickly reappeared on the platform, including some books uploaded by developers that sell apps through the Apple Store.

The writers say those relationships with developers have allowed Apple to engage in “deceit in disguise” by allowing certain publishers to stay on the company’s platform even after they have broken the law.

10 other writers are expected to file lawsuits of their own in the coming months. All together 95 pirated titles are believed to exist.

This isn’t the first time Chinese authors have claimed copyright infringement against a U.S. tech company, in 2009 Google scanned 20,000 works by 570 Chinese authors without their permission. Google quickly apologized for making those titles part of its digital library project.

Do you think Apple should settle with the writers and put better piracy protect systems into place to avoid such publicity in the future?