Advocacy Groups Urge FTC Probe Of AI Firms Destroying Scanned Books
More than a dozen public-interest and consumer groups on August 21, 2026 urged the Federal Trade Commission to investigate AI companies for buying, scanning and then destroying bulk-purchased books.[1]
The groups said the firms follow a "hoard-and-destroy" model: they purchase books in bulk, digitize them for model training and then discard the physical copies.[1] They said the practice can erase unique print copies and limit public access, which the groups argue could be an unfair method of competition under Section 5 of the FTC Act.[1]
A 2024 lawsuit alleged Anthropic acquired, scanned and discarded millions of print books, a claim the groups cited in their letter to the FTC.[1] The complaint also referenced reporting that Amazon has used similar bulk-scanning and destruction practices, which advocates say suggests a broader industry pattern that concentrates access to source material among large incumbents.[1]
The letter asked the FTC to use its authority to determine whether the companies' book-scanning and destruction tactics are unfair or deceptive and to seek remedies that protect public access to works and preserve fair competition.[1]
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📌 Key Facts
- On August 21, 2026, more than a dozen public interest and consumer groups sent a letter urging the FTC to investigate AI developers’ book-scanning and destruction practices.
- The groups allege AI firms buy books in bulk, digitize them for training, and then destroy the physical copies, including in some cases the last surviving copies of certain works.
- They argue this “hoard-and-destroy” approach may be an unfair method of competition under Section 5 of the FTC Act by limiting access to source material and advantaging large incumbents.
- The complaint cites a 2024 lawsuit accusing Anthropic of acquiring, scanning, and discarding millions of print books, and a 404 Media report that Amazon similarly scans and destroys bulk-purchased books.
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