Google appeals $591M French fine in copyright payment spat

PARIS (AP) — Google is appealing a 500 million euro ($591 million) fine issued by French regulators over its handling of negotiations with publishers in a dispute over copyright. The dispute is part of a larger battle by authorities in Europe and elsewhere to force Google and other tech companies to compensate publishers for content. A Google France executive said the company disagrees with a number of legal elements, and believes the fine is disproportionate. France’s antitrust watchdog levied the fine in mid-July after it found Google hadn’t negotiated in good faith with publishers over payments for their news stories.