The AP wants to outlaw search engine linking? What?

The AP is launching an all out assault on any use of its content that is not licensed (read that as purchased) for use by Internet publishers and search engines.

The AP is not JUST focusing on the blatant violators such as spam type blogs or sites that quote paragraphs without attribution or link backs. On the contrary, the AP is specifically going after bigger mainstream blogs, Internet publications and, believe it or not, search engines such as Google and Yahoo.

The AP 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. Include a rewritten headline link to an AP story, Matt Drudge and you will be sued for payment by the AP. Add a paragraph snippet of content from an AP article in your PaidContent.org blog post and be ready for a call from an AP lawyer demanding their cut of your ad revenue.

From the AP's perspective, the concept of fair use is primitive and counter to their desperate desire to prevent their demise in an ad supported Internet content economy. The Associated Press Board of Directors, which is made up mostly of newspaper executives, has issued a member call to arms against anyone and everyone who misappropriates AP content.

The release quotes AP Chairman Dean Singleton who spoke at the AP annual meeting in San Diego, "The news cooperative would work with portals and other partners who properly license content – and would pursue legal and legislative actions against those who don't." Mr. Singleton added, "We can no longer stand by and watch others walk off with our work under misguided legal theories."

Thoughts? Do you agree or disagree with the AP on this one? will it have the desired effect for them, or do you feel this is something that will backfire?