Authors Guild Issues Alert About Amazon Audio Feature

The Authors Guild warned members to be wary of the Amazon Kindle 2 in a public statement today. The unsigned Authors Guild alert reminded members that audiobooks earned $1 billion in 2007, and urged authors to consider the implications of Amazon’s newest feature that reads an e-book out-loud with a computerized voice.

The alert also denied suggestions by critics that Authors Guild executive director Paul Aiken implied that “private out-loud reading is protected by copyright” in recent remarks in the press. Here’s more from the alert: “We’re studying this matter closely and will report back to you. In the meantime, we recommend that if you haven’t yet granted your e-book rights to backlist or other titles, this isn’t the time to start. If you have a new book contract and are negotiating your e-book rights, make sure Amazon’s use of those rights is part of the dialog.” (Via.)

Yesterday, novelist Cory Doctorow criticized the Guild for this stance at the Tools of Change conference in the video below.

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