Google’s Dangerous Precedent

Google recently invited dozens of prominent artists to contribute work to be featured on its new Web browser, Chrome, coercing them with the promise of huge "exposure". The project will let users customize Google Chrome pages with artist-designed “skins” in their borders.

The trade-off is that this "exposure" will net the illustrator zero compensation for his or her time and talent. Google expects their chosen artists to work for free.

Shame on Google.

The unfortunate fact is that Google is taking advantage of a horrible economy, a dying publishing industry, and the naivete of professional illustrators to get work done for free.

We are proud to see the integrity of a handful of the industry's brightest talents who declined Google's invitation. While we wish more of our compatriots were capable of seeing the damage their decision to work with Google for free will cause, we can only praise those who have spurned Google's less-than-honest offer.

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