Google Execs to Face Milan Court Tomorrow
Source: Tom's Guide US | Keywords: Google, Video, Executives, Milan, Trial | Themes: The Internet, Business
Four Google executives will tomorrow stand trial in Milan, Italy on charges of criminal defamation and violation of privacy. If convicted the four could spend time in prison.
The case dates all the way back to the days of Google Video. In 2006 a video recorded on a cell phone and lasting three minutes in length was uploaded to Google’s old video sharing website. The clip showed four young people in Turin teasing a boy with Down syndrome.
The video remained online for a full two months before it was removed and the prosecution argues that in allowing the video to be posted in the first place, Google violated the boy's privacy. As such, David Drummond, Google’s senior vice president and chief legal officer; George Reyes, its former chief financial officer; and Peter Fleischer, Google’s global privacy counsel are among the charged along with a fourth exec rumored to have worked at Google Video in London were charged with failing to protect personal data and criminal defamation.
Google says that once notified, the offending video was removed within 24 hours. In a statement issued back in February, the company said that, while it is pleased that as a result of its cooperation the bullies in the video have been identified and punished, it feels that bringing the case to court is wrong and similar to prosecuting the postman for hate mail. ComputerWeekly reports that Google is being prosecuted as an internet content provider and Italian law states that content providers are responsible for third-party content.
The search giant claims that seeking to hold neutral platforms liable for content posted on them is a direct attack on a free, open Internet. What do you think?
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Sounds like the Pirate Bay verdict has effected Google!
If we follow that line of thinking, shouldn't then the Government itself be on trial for failing to protect the boys privacy. The buck should only stop at the top, not at the scapegoat. OMHO, the buck stops with the people who actually perpetrated the activity, ie. those that inflicted and recorded the activity in the first place.
They should monitor what is put up. Don't tell me they cannot afford to. Free speech and that kind of thing are not the same.
What about the kids who posted it? Did they get punished for doing it?
What about the boys parents? Did they get punished for letting it happen?
Google can always upgrade the technology, but we can't upgrade the stupidity, ignorance and irresponsibility of people.
It's a ridiculous charge for a service like Google Video, and that's why certain other western nations don't play by that kind of stupid rule. If it were somehow enforced evenly and thoroughly then the internet could not work as a conduit for free speech and the exchange of information.
IDK...let google fry....this article is a waste of Tom's bandwidth.
hmmm. I think the video is horrible, but I never really considered google video as a content provider like tv. More as a personal news site or personal video site. VIDEO'S catch bad people. Thats a fact. If the video wasn't put up, nobody would know how the boy was being treated. It's truth in it's rawest form. How come reporters aren't put on trial? (rhetorical question)........ I think the people who created the video should be held responsible. After all, how in the hell can google possible sort through all those videos? It would take years and a team of thousands. Google is not to blame. Yeah, the video was overlooked, but then again, how come noone else reported the video? Youtube is probably next on there hitlist.. What ever happened to freedom of the press? Google doesn't make the video's it is only a delivery system. Just like youtube.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Freedom_of_the_press
Following this line of reasion says that hee RIAA has a right to sue google (or any other search engine) for linking to torrents now, or sites with torrents, or that the MPA can sue them for linking to tablature. Its BS
They should monitor what is put up. Don't tell me they cannot afford to. Free speech and that kind of thing are not the same.
You realize how many videos are uploaded to that kind of service right? As a "free" service it would most likely cost way to much to hire people to censor all uploads... They did the best they could by taking it down within 24 hours when it was reported. Asking for any more and any company providing that kind of service would most likely have to start charging or discontinue service due to the cost.
Douche rocket Italian courts. Final answer.
20 hours of videos are uploaded to youtube every single minute. There is no way to scan for teasing or any other kind of content unless some program could automatically figure out what was being said in a video, or possibly a comment scanner that looked for "i was offended by this". Google is an open platform that has changed how the world works and they are not responsible for that one video, there are probably a ton of videos of one group making fun of another.
They should be charging people who posted the vid not Google. It's just like what happened to TPB.
I wouldn't be worried given its the Italian courts we're talkin about here. Last I heard it takes 10 years on average to get a court date and coupled with what amounts to a pretty weak case I don't think google need to be overly worried.
I declare Italy a land full of _______[adjective ex.stupid] ____________[noun ex. f@990+5] that all deserve to _________[verb ex.die].
They completely contradicted Google's motto. I hope Google's got a trick up their sleeve and are gonna whip Italy's @55 in court and blow them off the political map.
What's with the political system these days, anyways? First TPB, then a city wide strike just started this morning, and now this?
Ahahah Americans have nerve to talk about other nations legal systems. Ah! what a joke!
"prosecution argues that in allowing the video to be posted in the first place, Google violated the boy's privacy"
No. The one who recorded it was violating his privacy.
More useless gossip again. And by who?
Jane McEntegart, Tom's gossip specialist. I guess there are many girls doing what you do in TVnotes or the likes that you had no other option but to go to a tech web site for a job.
Still dreaming in the day that you will produce a note worthy of our time.
This reminds me of the Seinfeld series finale....
Maybe they should get Jackie Chiles to represent them. "lewd, lascivious, salacious, outrageous!"
hmmm i think i should sue the internet for providing negative ideas...Keep that rule italy i'm sure it'll get you real far
The world's gone mad!
Following this line of reasion says that hee RIAA has a right to sue google (or any other search engine) for linking to torrents now, or sites with torrents, or that the MPA can sue them for linking to tablature. Its BS
News flash they just did, and won in the TPB case in Sweden.
Hey computabug.....
?
Does Italy remind you of a particular country
They should monitor what is put up. Don't tell me they cannot afford to. Free speech and that kind of thing are not the same.
You realize how many videos are uploaded to that kind of service right? As a "free" service it would most likely cost way to much to hire people to censor all uploads... They did the best they could by taking it down within 24 hours when it was reported. Asking for any more and any company providing that kind of service would most likely have to start charging or discontinue service due to the cost.
+1
Let alone the amount of time it would take, how do you define offensive material that should be censored? A muslim could be offended by the sight of a woman not covering her hair, an individual can be offended by a Russel Peters joke, a christian could be offended by a jewish teaching, etc.
The key is that you cannot define or monitor offensive material as it is highly subjective to an individuals opinion (after all, that is what offends the majority of the time, another person's opinion/acts).
I don't quite understand the motivation behind condemning the posting of the subject material as it helps bring the offenders to light for discipline. Without it, this child would continue to be teased by same group of children until someone else notices.
Its about as logical as saying that google shouldn't post the oppression currently going on in Iran (re: election) as it violates those people's privacy.
I declare Italy a land full of _______[adjective ex.stupid] ____________[noun ex. f@990+5] that all deserve to _________[verb ex.die].They completely contradicted Google's motto. I hope Google's got a trick up their sleeve and are gonna whip Italy's @55 in court and blow them off the political map.What's with the political system these days, anyways? First TPB, then a city wide strike just started this morning, and now this?
So because Italian politicians decided to charge Google for a controversial allegation (the case isn't even resolved), Italians, as a people, all deserve to die?
Wow, so I guess there was never a politician in power that didn't reflect your interests 100%.
More useless gossip again. And by who?Jane McEntegart, Tom's gossip specialist. I guess there are many girls doing what you do in TVnotes or the likes that you had no other option but to go to a tech web site for a job.Still dreaming in the day that you will produce a note worthy of our time.
How is this gossip?
Google (currently the most popular search engine in the world), is being charged (typically a big deal for any company), on a controversial allegation of infringing privacy rights (a common issue regarding most modern technology)? What part of that is gossip or not relevant to the technology industry?
Jane might not have produced a note worthy of your time but that's just your opinion (others don't necessarily agree with you, myself included). If you voice your opinion and articulate it with substance in a non-belligerent manner you might get more respect and attention. Slander attracts very few ears.
Also note, the simplest answer to your concern is to get your free news from another site, you're not paying for any of these publications except for with your time (ie glimpsing ads), so therefore, spend your time on a site you deem worthy.
More useless gossip again. And by who?Jane McEntegart, Tom's gossip specialist. I guess there are many girls doing what you do in TVnotes or the likes that you had no other option but to go to a tech web site for a job.Still dreaming in the day that you will produce a note worthy of our time.
leave jane alone! you flaming imbecile! leave jane alone!
that is all...
Man I hate this world!
The just get penalized more than the unjust!
What kind of a world is the world getting to?
I dont think its fair to imprison these people. After all they are just paper-pushers.
Nonetheless, its always nice to see rich google execs going to jail
I like Italy and Italians, but come on! Google did nothing wrong. They promptly removed the content. The Italian citizens involved were the wrong doers. Stop the hate!
More useless gossip again. And by who?Jane McEntegart, Tom's gossip specialist. I guess there are many girls doing what you do in TVnotes or the likes that you had no other option but to go to a tech web site for a job.Still dreaming in the day that you will produce a note worthy of our time.
If these guys are convicted, it could have major ramifications for content providers all over the world. Useless gossip indeed.