The AP (Associated Press) believes that desperate times call for desperate measures and that means demanding royalties from any company profiting from any aspect of their content. When Google links to an AP story in a search result with an Adwords ad on the page the AP expects to be paid.
This is a tremendous story that should be seen by all bloggers because it has such potentially far-reaching effects on all of us. My initial reaction to this is that in the future I do not plan to frequent anything of, by and for the AP. I was curious as to how the AP could snub the world's largest search engine, aka Google, and expect to remain unscathed. Maybe the AP is merely displaying the death throes of big city newspapers (high time we got rid of an industry that has relentlessly and voraciously taken out entire old-growth forests for the last several decades. Next on the list would be the toilet paper manufacturers, right?)
According to the MLA Handbook for Writers of Research Papers, "To use another person's ideas or expressions in your writing without acknowledging the source is to plagiarize." It goes on to say, "You may certainly use other persons' words and thoughts in your research paper, but the borrowed material must not seem your creation... You may present the material if you cite your source."
I think that the AP is on a very slippery slope with this, much like what just happened here in California with the raising of the sales tax. More people are now going to shop less because of the hefty sales tax. It's just human nature.
So be sure and check this story out, including the comments. You'll find some very informed and passionate opinions. This is an issue that is not going away any time soon.