Oracle has appealed a May ruling that favored Google’s use of software that Oracle claimed did not fall under fair use.
The appeal, filed Friday, drags out a dispute that has roots going back to 2010, when Oracle first sued Google for using the software, which Oracle owns.
Free speech and copyright experts have been up in arms about the case. The original suit is fundamentally about whether the common Silicon Valley practice of using open source technology created by other corporations constitutes a copyright violation, as Oracle’s lawyers have argued it does.
Electronic Frontier Foundation Legal Director Corynne McSherry said in a statement, “It’s important for many technology developers, large and small. A finding of fair use here, while rooted in the facts of this case, could set important precedents for the use of APIs by everyone down the road — including Google.”
This article originally appeared on Recode.net.
Will you support Vox’s explanatory journalism?
Most news outlets make their money through advertising or subscriptions. But when it comes to what we’re trying to do at Vox, there are a couple reasons that we can't rely only on ads and subscriptions to keep the lights on.
First, advertising dollars go up and down with the economy. We often only know a few months out what our advertising revenue will be, which makes it hard to plan ahead.
Second, we’re not in the subscriptions business. Vox is here to help everyone understand the complex issues shaping the world — not just the people who can afford to pay for a subscription. We believe that’s an important part of building a more equal society. We can’t do that if we have a paywall.
That’s why we also turn to you, our readers, to help us keep Vox free. If you also believe that everyone deserves access to trusted high-quality information, will you make a gift to Vox today?
Yes, I'll give $5/month
Yes, I'll give $5/month
We accept credit card, Apple Pay, and
Google Pay. You can also contribute via