The ruling is unprecedented and illogical. How can you hold the execs of a fundamentally user generated content website responsible for the act of few? Beats me. Does the Italian law provides no protection to the publishers like they have in U.S? I believe the judges are fundamentally flawed in their reasoning(whatever it may be) and in their interpretation of the term freedom of expression.
The judgement will hold no water when juxtaposed to logic and fairness. Also i would like to know how has the Italian public responded to this?
All your concerns about the large corporations having to validate the UGC are right on the money. But it won't stop there. What about personal blogs? Is Wordpress liable for everything its users say? What about real-time, or near-real-time updates like Twitter feeds? What about Internet Relay Chat, for crying out loud?
I want to understand the thinking behind this ruling. Were the judges merely upholding an interpretation of the law, or is there an agenda here to start limiting freedom of expression in Italy at a fundamental level? Because once these kind of restrictions are allowed in online speech, offline speech can't be far away. Why not hold executives in a chain of supermarkets responsible for something written on a bulletin board in one of the stores?
I agree Rob. The ruling should be overturned. I can't get over the sense that someone, somehow, had another agenda in this whole thing. It's just too bizarre a conclusion.
Can't wait for the other shoe to drop on this one.
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