Censorship? Fahgeddaboutit.
… a public prosecutor in Milan decided to indict four Google employees —David Drummond, Arvind Desikan, Peter Fleischer and George Reyes (who left the company in 2008). The charges brought against them were criminal defamation and a failure to comply with the Italian privacy code. To be clear, none of the four Googlers charged had anything to do with this video. They did not appear in it, film it, upload it or review it. None of them know the people involved or were even aware of the video’s existence until after it was removed.
Nevertheless, a judge in Milan today convicted 3 of the 4 defendants — David Drummond, Peter Fleischer and George Reyes — for failure to comply with the Italian privacy code. All 4 were found not guilty of criminal defamation. In essence this ruling means that employees of hosting platforms like Google Video are criminally responsible for content that users upload.
This news follows the Internet censorship stories already swirling around the current Italian administration: their problem with YouTube and Google content and their push to require licenses for uploaders of video content.
It begs the question, why does Google even bother? Google is becoming, and perhaps already is, a monster of a company that could pull itself away from Italy if it wanted. But Google doesn’t think that way. Their M.O. is and has been one of philanthropy. Look at all the free tools they provide to computer users. Look at their desire to provide “ultra high-speed” connections for residential users, something that seems less concerned with profit than technological advancement.
The same concept may be taking place here. I believe Google is fighting Italy’s laws just to prove that Internet censorship is wrong and not to turn a profit from Italy’s Internet users. However, I also believe that Google could make just as strong a political statement by simply pulling out of Italy. What do you guys think?
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Yes. Lol, It’s so ridiculous. When a COUNTRY attacks your COMPANY, Just leave. Or if your google, Perhaps buy Italy? I’m pretty sure they could afford it.
If Google “pulls out” of Italy, that’s a victory for censorship, in my mind. It might be expensive for them to fight this, but the support that would pour in from all over the world and the good will that a fight against censorship would engender would benefit Google massively.
I’d hate to see Google bend to Berlusconi’s will and set a precedent for other countries.
Italy should give Google the boot. Google sucks, its way too invasive and if countries have any respect at all for their citizen’s privacy they won’t compromise with the search engine giant’s ridiculous business standards. Net neutrality aside, Google is becoming worse than Microsoft was ever accused of being. Google Buzz was a horrible idea, and telecommunications is suffering because of the way Google does business. Saying their business model revolves around philanthropy is bullshit. Their business model is to rule the telecommuncations world, and control all of your personal information. Fuck that.
@ jason – I disagree. Yes Google buzz was a mistake.. but so is the ipad (imo).
How exactly is Google making things difficult for telecommunication companies? They have headed several projects that have created competition where there has been none or the competition had become stagnant. Competition is the name of the game.
As far as them controlling your personal data. All Internet Service Providers have to do this as well (for voip). It was something the government passed that I actually had to help with for my last job. Its called Calea compliance. http://www.gigamon.com/CALEA_Compliance.php. The same thing with the patriot act and your personal emails held on company servers. So if your angry about privacy, it sounds more like something to be angry at your/our/their government about and not so much Google.
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