Italian trial could change online video content generation services
24th February 2010 by William Hobson
The results of a landmark trial in Italy has raised concerns over web freedom and the future of online video content generation services such as YouTube.
Three executives from Google Italy have been convicted of violating privacy laws in a trial surrounding around a video uploaded to YouTube. Uploaded in 2006, the video showed a teenager suffering from Down’s Syndrome being bullied by four other boys at a school in Turin. In the footage, the boy was beaten by the other youths, who made a mocking phone call to the Viva Down Charity.
Prosecutors in Milan were brought to the case after being contacted by the charity, arguing that the boys privacy had been violated and that Google had been negligent in not removing the footage quicker than it did. According to various reports from online news providers like The Daily Telegraph and Sky News, the video shot to number one in the most viewed section after it was uploaded – and remained there for at least two months.
The prosecutors argued that the company should have noticed the video due to its popularity. However, the defence argues that ruling places an unfeasible expectation on those hosting online content generation services such as YouTube; thousands of hours of footage are uploaded every day on to sites like YouTube and each would have to be previewed and approved to avoid this kind of allegation.
Speaking to Sky News, Google spokesman Bill Echikson said “We will appeal this astonishing decision. It attacks the principles of freedom on which the internet was built.”
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