3 Google execs convicted of privacy violations

Source: Associated Press

Feb 24, 4:19 AM EST
3 Google execs convicted of privacy violations
By COLLEEN BARRY
Associated Press Writer

MILAN (AP) -- Three Google executives were convicted of privacy violations Wednesday in allowing a video of an autistic boy being abused to be posted online - a case that has been closely watched for its implications on Internet freedom.

Judge Oscar Magi sentenced the three to a six-month suspended sentence and absolved them of defamation charges. A fourth defendant was acquitted altogether.

The trial had been closely watched since it could help define whether the Internet in Italy is an open, self-regulating platform or if content must be better monitored for abusive material.

Google, based in Mountain View, California, had said it considered the trial a threat to Internet freedom because it could force providers to attempt an impossible task - prescreening the thousands of hours of footage uploaded every day onto sites like YouTube.



Read more: http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/E/EU_ITALY_GOOGLE_TRIAL?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT&CTIME=2010-02-24-04-19-10

Google, based in Mountain View, California, had said it considered the trial a threat to Internet freedom because it could force providers to attempt an impossible task - prescreening the thousands of hours of footage uploaded every day onto sites like YouTube.

The better option is to require video uploading services to respond to illegal or objectionable content within a reasonable timeframe. I recommend 24 hours.

This seems like an unnecessary witch hunt. Every time I have come across abusive or questionable material on You-tube or Google, I have quickly reported said material. Usually within minutes of the report the video is pulled off the site. In my opinion, that is as responsible as these guys can be. It is unreasonable to expect these guys to view every single video that is posted on their sites. Could you imagine the workforce you would have to have to accomplish this?

If You-Tube and Goggle are to be held responsible for every video that is posted on their site, then other companies should be held to the same standard. Gun makers should be sued when one of their guns is used in a murder. Car companies should be sued when a drunk driver kills someone with one of their vehicles. Craigslist should be sued when a user scams another user. This is just plain silly and sends a bad message. The 4 bullies who perpetuated the original crime get a slap on the wrist while Google gets sent down the river.

I guess they don't have any problem with "two girls and a cup"

Or against whoever actually uploaded the video online?

I guess Google has deeper pockets.