Superstar Reader, one of the largest online Chinese language digital book websites in China, is facing a lawsuit lodged by more than 420 scholars across the country.

Wu Rui, a researcher from the History Institute of Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, has contacted over 420 scholars and they are going to file a lawsuit against Superstar Reader, which has been accused of numerous copyright violations.

In November 2006, Wu told local media he was told by a friend that Superstar Reader was using two of his works on its website for profit without his permission. After logging onto the website, he found not only his works, but also many works of his teachers, colleagues and friends were also pirated on the website, so he decided to cooperate with them to lodge the lawsuit against the Superstar Reader.

Wu says that he had never authorized Superstar Reader to use his works on its website, nor signed any commission letters with the company. He said that the letter of commission that Superstar Reader showed to the media was a fake one as his ID number, telephone number and email address provided on it were all false. Wu was also skeptical about Superstar Reader's claim that it has received approval of about 300,000 authors to use their works on their websites.

As the China Copyright Protection Center was listed by Superstar Reader on their website as the approving party for using the concerned works, it has also been sued by the scholars.

The case may take a few months to work its way through the court system.