In this week’s issue, nearly six million Americans are employed in the core copyright industries; bookstore sales continue to decline in the wake of COVID-19; the moral quandary of talented authors who hold despicable views, and more.

5.7 Million US Employees in “Core” Copyright Industries Says New Report
Publishing Perspectives
The International Intellectual Property Alliance, a private-sector coalition of five trade associations representing companies in the United States that produce copyright-protected content including computer software, films, television programs, music, books, and journals, issues its latest report on US ‘core’ copyright industries’ place in the U.S. economy.

Bookstore Sales Post Another 27% Decline
Publishers Weekly
Bookstore sales fell 27.8% in October compared to 2019, according to preliminary estimates released by the U.S. Census Bureau. Sales were $446 million, down from $618 million in October 2019.

Big Fines and Strict Rules Unveiled Against ‘Big Tech’ in Europe
The New York Times
European Union leaders unveiled proposals to crimp the power of “gatekeeper” platforms like Amazon, Apple, Facebook, Google and Microsoft, which policymakers argue deserve more oversight given their outsize influence. The proposed E.U. laws would require the companies to do more to prevent the spread of hate speech and sale of counterfeit merchandise and disclose more information about how services like targeted advertising work.

Dispute Erupts Over Translation Rights to New Nobel Laureate
The New York Times
For 14 years, one publisher released Louise Glück’s poetry in Spanish. Then she won the Nobel Prize, and her agent made a change.

If It’s Fiction, Can It Be an Invasion of Privacy?
The New York Times
Emmanuel Carrère’s latest novel, “Yoga,” has stoked debate in France after the author’s ex-wife, Hélène Devynck, accused him of writing about her without her consent.

Roald Dahl was Anti-Semitic. Do We Need his Family’s Apology Now?
Washington Post
Book critic Ron Paul talks about how to regard the work of gifted artists who hold despicable views.