There is something very wrong in Italy's recent conviction of three Google ex-employees for taking down footage of a boy getting beaten up back in 2006. They were charged with "criminal defamation and a failure to comply with the Italian privacy code." Google wrote this blog post assuring that they plan to appeal this decision.
I'm not versed in Italian privacy laws but, just like Google's statement includes, it's common sense within today's technological savvy that these men did not own or distribute the footage - it was the girl who uploaded the video. How do these men get charged?
I believe that they were involved in taking down said video and helping the police identify the bullies, I'm assuming, through their Google accounts and IP addresses.
If using technology for a positive purpose (with information that is readily available - Google's access to the girl's information) is an invasion of privacy, isn't it fair to say that these people opted and ACCEPTED the fact that computers and browsers record IP addresses? Let alone incorporate a lot of personal information on social networks or their Google accounts?
However one might position themselves in respect to this issue, consider that we live in a very public technological society where privacy is an option that is not usually chosen.
No comments:
Post a Comment